BOYS AND GIRLS BOOKSHELF

 _A Practical Plan of Character Building_

 COMPLETE IN SEVENTEEN VOLUMES

 I Fun and Thought for Little Folk II Folk-Lore, Fables, and Fairy Tales III Famous Tales and Nature Stories IV Things to Make and Things to Do V True Stories from Every Land VI Famous Songs and Picture Stories VII Nature and Outdoor Life, Part I VIII Nature and Outdoor Life, Part II IX Earth, Sea, and Sky X Games and Handicraft XI Wonders of Invention XII Marvels of Industry XIII Every Land and its Story XIV Famous Men and Women XV Bookland--Story and Verse, Part I XVI Bookland--Story and Verse, Part II XVII Graded and Classified Index

 THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INCORPORATED _New York_

 [Illustration: THE SUNSET FAIRIES FROM A DRAWING BY FLORENCE MARY ANDERSON]

 BOYS AND GIRLS BOOKSHELF

 _A Practical Plan of Character Building_

 Little Folks' Section

 [Illustration: INSTRUCTIVE PLAY . .. VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE The Four Fold Life MENTAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL MORAL]

 Prepared Under the Supervision of THE EDITORIAL BOARD _of the_ UNIVERSITY SOCIETY

 Volume II FOLK-LORE, FABLES, AND FAIRY TALES

 THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INCORPORATED _New York_

 Copyright, 1920, By THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC. 

 Copyright, 1912, 1915, By THE UNIVERSITY SOCIETY INC. 

 _Manufactured in the U. S. A. _

INTRODUCTION

This volume is devoted to a choice collection of the standard andnew fairy-tales, wonder stories, and fables. They speak so truly andconvincingly for themselves that we wish to use this introductory pageonly to emphasize their value to young children. There are still thosewho find no room in their own reading, and would give none in thereading of the young, except for facts. They confuse facts and truth, and forget that there is a world of truth that is larger than the merefacts of life, being compact of imagination and vision and ideals. Dr. Hamilton Wright Mabie convinced us of this in his cogent words. 

"America, " he said, "has at present greater facility in producing'smart' men than in producing able men; the alert, quick-wittedmoney-maker abounds, but the men who live with ideas, who care for theprinciples of things, and who make life rich in resource and interest, are comparatively few. America needs poetry more than it needsindustrial training, though the two ought never to be separated. Thetime to awaken the imagination, which is the creative faculty, is earlychildhood, and the most accessible material for this education is theliterature which the race created in its childhood. "

The value of the fairy-tale and the wonder-tale is that they tell aboutthe magic of living. Like the old woman in Mother Goose, they "brushthe cobwebs out of the sky. " They enrich, not cheapen, life. Plenty ofthings do cheapen life for children. Most movies do. Sunday comicsupplements do. Ragtime songs do. Mere gossip does. But fairy storiesenhance life. 

They are called "folk-tales, " that is, tales of the common folk. Theywere largely the dreams of the poor. They consist of fancies that haveillumined the hard facts of life. They find animals, trees, flowers, and the stars friendly. They speak of victory. In them the child ismaster even of dragons. He can live like a prince, in disguise, or, if he be uncomely, he may hope to win Beauty after he is free of hismasquerade. 

Wonder-stories help make good children as well as happy children. In these stories witches, wolves, and evil persons are defeated orexposed. Fairy godmothers are ministers of justice. The side that thechild wishes to triumph always does triumph, and so goodness always ismade to seem worth-while. 

Almost every fairy-tale contains a test of character or shrewdness orcourage. Sharp distinctions are made, that require a child of parts todiscern. 

And the heroes of these nursery tales are much more convincing thanprecepts or golden texts, for they impress upon the child not merelywhat he ought to do, but what nobly has been done. And the smallhero-worshiper will follow where his admirations lead. 

Fables do much the same, and by imagining that the animals have arrivedat human speech and wisdom, they help the child to think shrewdly andin a friendly way, as if in comradeship with his pets and with ourbrothers and sisters, the beasts of the field and forest. 

 * * * * *

 CONTENTS PAGE

 INTRODUCTION vii

 #THE OLD FAIRY TALES#

 THE ROAD TO FAIRY LAND 2 By Cecil Cavendish THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS GOLDENLOCKS 3 PRINCE HYACINTH AND THE DEAR LITTLE PRINCESS 7 By Madame Leprince De Beaumont CINDERELLA 10 By Charles Perrault THE SLEEPING BEAUTY 13 Adapted from the Brothers Grimm BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 15 PRINCE DARLING 20 RUMPELSTILTSKIN 26 Adapted from the Grimm Brothers RAPUNZELL, OR THE FAIR MAID WITH GOLDEN HAIR 28 By the Brothers Grimm SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 30 By the Brothers Grimm HANSEL AND GRETHEL 34 By the Brothers Grimm

 #STORIES BY FAVORITE AMERICAN WRITERS#

 THE FLAG-BEARER 39 By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD 40 By Thornton W. Burgess LITTLE WEE PUMPKIN'S THANKSGIVING 41 By Madge A. Bingham THE COMING OF THE KING 42 By Laura E. Richards THE LITTLE PIG 44 By Maud Lindsay THE TRAVELS OF THE LITTLE TOY SOLDIER 44 By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey WHAT HAPPENED TO DUMPS 45 By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS 47 By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow BALLAD OF THE LITTLE PAGE 48 By Abbie Farwell Brown THE SNOW-IMAGE 51 By Nathaniel Hawthorne THE CASTLE OF GEMS 55 By Sophie May THE HEN THAT HATCHED DUCKS 58 By Harriet Beecher Stowe THE BALLAD OF PIPING WILL 63 By Anna Hempstead Branch LITTLE ANNIE'S DREAM, OR THE FAIRY FLOWER 68 By Louisa M. Alcott COMPANIONS 71 By Helen Hunt Jackson PRINCE LITTLE BOY 73 By S. Weir Mitchell, M. D. THE BEE-MAN OF ORN 77 By Frank R. Stockton THE POT OF GOLD 82 By Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

 #VERSES ABOUT FAIRIES#

 THE FAIRY THORN 87 By Samuel Ferguson FAIRY DAYS 88 By William Makepeace Thackeray THE FAIRY QUEEN 89 THE SEA PRINCESS 89 LONG AGO 89 THISTLE-TASSEL 90 By Florence Harrison SONG OF THE FAIRY 90 By William Shakespeare THE FAIRIES 92 By William Allingham OH, WHERE DO FAIRIES HIDE THEIR HEADS? 92 By Thomas Haynes Bayly

 #MODERN FAIRY TALES#

 THE ELF OF THE WOODLANDS 93 Retold from Richard Hengist Horne by William Byron Forbush PRINCESS FINOLA AND THE DWARF 95 By Edmund Leamy THE STRAW OX 100 THE LITTLE PRINCESS OF THE FEARLESS HEART 103 By B. J. Daskam MOPSA THE FAIRY 110 Retold from Jean Ingelow THE LINE OF GOLDEN LIGHT, OR THE LITTLE BLIND SISTER 114 By Elizabeth Harrison A FAIRY STORY ABOUT A PHILOSOPHER'S STONE WHICH WAS LOST 118 By M. Bowley THE BAD TEMPER OF THE PRINCESS 124 By Marian Burton THE FLYING SHIP 130 ROBIN OF THE LOVING HEART 133 By Emma Endicott Marean IN SPRING 137 A FAMOUS CASE 138 By Theodore C. Williams

 #OLD-FASHIONED STORIES#

 THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN 139 THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES 140 EDWY AND THE ECHO 143 THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A VINEGAR-BOTTLE 146 THE SNOW QUEEN 148 THE MASTER-MAID 158 CAP O' RUSHES 163 FULFILLED 165 KING GRISLY-BEARD 166 Retold from the Brothers Grimm

 #FABLES#

 THE FOX AND THE GOAT 172 THE TWO FROGS 172 THE DOG IN THE MANGER 172 THE STAG AT THE POOL 172 THE WAR-HORSE AND THE ASS 172 THE FROGS WHO WANTED A KING 172 THE OX AND THE FROG 173 THE HERON WHO WAS HARD TO PLEASE 174 THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF 175 THE ASS, THE COCK, AND THE LION 175 THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX 175 THE HORSE AND THE STAG 175 THE LION AND THE BOAR 175 THE HUNTSMAN AND THE FISHERMAN 175 THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN 176 THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 177 THE FOX AND THE WOOD-CUTTER 178 THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS ON A HUNT 178 THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW 178 THE MOUSE AND THE FROG 178 THE WOLF AND THE GOAT 178 THE BAD DOG 178 THE KID AND THE WOLF 178 THE FOX AND THE GRAPES 179 THE FOX AND THE RAVEN 180 THE BULL AND THE GOAT 181 THE RAVEN AND THE SWAN 181 THE THIEF AND THE DOG 181 THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS 181 THE ASS WITH THE SALT 181 THE COCK AND THE JEWEL 181 THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL 181 THE EAGLE AND THE JACKDAW 182 THE HEN AND THE GOLDEN EGGS 183 THE DOG AND THE ASS 184 THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN 184 THE FOX AND THE LION 184 THE CROW AND THE PITCHER 184 THE ASS AND HIS SHADOW 184 THE WOLF AND THE CRANE 184 THE FOX AND THE CRANE 185 THE CAT AND THE MONKEY 186 THE DANCING MONKEYS 187 THE HARES AND THE FROGS 187 THE LION AND THE GNAT 187 THE FROGS AND THE BULLS 187 THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES 187 BELLING THE CAT 187 A MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS 188 THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE 190 THE PEACOCK AND JUNO 190 THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE ASS 190 THE FATHER AND HIS SONS 190 THE DOVE AND THE ANT 191 THE FOX AND THE CAT 192 THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER 193

 #FABLES FROM INDIA# Adapted by Ramaswami Raju

 THE GLOW-WORM AND THE DAW 194 THE FOX AND THE VILLAGERS 194 THE FROG AND THE SNAKE 194 THE ASSEMBLY OF ANIMALS 194 THE COCK AND HIS THREE HENS 194 THE BLACK DOG AND THE WHITE DOG 195 THE ELEPHANT AND THE APE 195 THE CROW AND THE DAWN 195 THE LION AND THE GOAT 195 THE SUNLING 196 THE MUSHROOM AND THE GOOSE 196 THE FABLES OF PILPAY THE HINDU 196 THE FOX AND THE HEN 196 THE THREE FISHES 196 THE FALCON AND THE HEN 197 THE KING WHO GREW KIND 197

 #MODERN FABLES#

 THE HORSES' COUNCIL 197 Adapted from John Gay THE OAK AND THE REED 198 Adapted from the French of La Fontaine THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWLEDGE 198 Adapted from the French of La Fontaine THE TORRENT AND THE RIVER 198 Adapted from the French of La Fontaine THE TOMTIT AND THE BEAR 199 By the Brothers Grimm WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES 200 By Thornton W. Burgess HOW CATS CAME TO PURR 202 By John Bennett

 #STORIES FROM SCANDINAVIA#

 THE GREEDY CAT 207 GUDBRAND ON THE HILLSIDE 210 PORK AND HONEY 212 HOW REYNARD OUTWITTED BRUIN 212 THE COCK AND THE CRESTED HEN 213 THE OLD WOMAN AND THE TRAMP 213 THE OLD WOMAN AND THE FISH 216 THE LAD AND THE FOX 217 ADVENTURES OF ASHPOT 217 NORWEGIAN BIRD-LEGENDS 219 THE UGLY DUCKLING 222 By Hans Christian Andersen THE WILD SWANS 227 By Hans Christian Andersen TAPER TOM 235 THE BOY WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND 236 THE WONDERFUL IRON POT 238 THE SHEEP AND PIG WHO SET UP HOUSEKEEPING 239 DOLL-IN-THE-GRASS 241 BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS 242 VIGGO AND BEATE 244 Translated by Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thompson

 #STORIES FROM IRELAND#

 THE FOUR WHITE SWANS 251 THE MISHAPS OF HANDY ANDY 258 THE GREEDY SHEPHERD 263 THE COBBLERS AND THE CUCKOO 264 THE MERRY COBBLER AND HIS COAT 268 THE STORY OF CHILD CHARITY 270 By Frances Browne THE SELFISH GIANT 272 By Oscar Wilde

 #STORIES FROM GREAT BRITAIN#

 THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS, OR THE GRATEFUL RAVEN AND THE PRINCE 275 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK 277 Retold by Mary Lena Wilson TOM THUMB 280 Retold by Laura Clarke WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT 283 WILD ROBIN 287 Retold by Sophie May THE STORY OF MERLIN 291

 #JAPANESE AND OTHER ORIENTAL TALES#

 THE CUB'S TRIUMPH 293 CHIN-CHIN KOBAKAMA 294 THE WONDERFUL MALLET 296 THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS 298 THE STORY OF ZIRAC 298 MY LORD BAG OF RICE 302 THE LITTLE HARE OF OKI 305 Retold by B. M. Burrell THE LITTLE BROTHER OF LOO-LEE LOO 309 By Margaret Johnson THE CURIOUS CASE OF AH-TOP 314 THE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL 316 HASHNU THE STONECUTTER 316 THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN, AND THE JACKAL 318 THE STORY OF THE WILLOW PATTERN PLATE 319 Retold by M. Alston Buckley

 #BR'ER RABBIT AND HIS NEIGHBORS#

 BROTHER FOX'S TAR BABY 321 Translated by Joel Chandler Harris THE RABBIT AND THE PEAS 322 By Mrs. M. R. Allen BR'ER RABBIT'S FISHING 325 BR'ER POSSUM LOVES PEACE 326 BR'ER FOX TACKLES OLD BR'ER TARRYPIN 327 HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX 329 PLANTATION STORIES 332 By Grace MacGowan Cooke

 #AMERICAN INDIAN STORIES#

 ROBIN REDBREAST 337 THE THREE WISHES 338 THE JOKER 340 LITTLE MOCCASIN'S RIDE ON THE THUNDER-HORSE 342 By Colonel Guido Ilges WAUKEWA'S EAGLE 348 By James Buckham A HURON CINDERELLA 352 By Howard Angus Kennedy THE FIRE BRINGER 356 By Mary Austin SCAR FACE 358 WHY THE BABY SAYS "GOO" 359 Retold by Ehrma G. Filer

 * * * * *

 [Illustration: THE OLD FAIRY TALES]

 THE ROAD TO FAIRY LAND

 The day is dull and dreary, And chilly winds and eerie Are sweeping through the tall oak trees that fringe the orchard lane. They send the dead leaves flying, And with a mournful crying They dash the western window-panes with slanting lines of rain. My little 'Trude and Teddy, Come quickly and make ready, Take down from off the highest shelf the book you think so grand. We'll travel off together, To lands of golden weather, For well we know the winding road that leads to Fairy Land. 

 A long, long road, no byway, The fairy kings' broad highway, Sometimes we'll see a castled hill stand up against the blue, And every brook that passes, A-whispering through the grasses, Is just a magic fountain filled with youth and health for you; And we'll meet fair princesses With shining golden tresses, Some pacing by on palfreys white, some humbly tending sheep; And merchants homeward faring, With goods beyond comparing, And in the hills are robber bands, who dwell in caverns deep. 

 Sometimes the road ascending, Around a mountain bending, Will lead us to the forests dark, and there among the pines Live woodmen, to whose dwelling Come wicked witches, telling Of wondrous gifts of golden wealth. There, too, are lonely mines. But busy gnomes have found them, And all night work around them, And sometimes leave a bag of gold at some poor cottage door. There waterfalls are splashing, And down the rocks are dashing, But we can hear the sprites' clear call above the torrent's roar. 

 Where quiet rivers glisten We'll sometimes stop and listen To tales a gray old hermit tells, or wandering minstrel's song. We'll loiter by the ferries, And pluck the wayside berries, And watch the gallant knights spur by in haste to right a wrong. Oh, little 'Trude and Teddy, For wonders, then, make ready, You'll see a shining gateway, and, within, a palace grand, Of elfin realm the center; But pause before you enter To pity all good folk who've missed the road to Fairy Land. 

 _Cecil Cavendish_

 THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS GOLDENLOCKS

There was once a lovely Princess who had such beautiful golden hairthat everyone called her Goldenlocks. She possessed everything that shewanted: she was lovely to look at, she had beautiful clothes, and greatwealth, and besides all these, she was the Princess in a large kingdom. 

In the country next to that of Goldenlocks there ruled a rich andhandsome young King. When he heard about the charming Princess hedecided that he wanted her for his Queen. The question was, of course, how to make her feel that she wanted him for her husband!

This young King did not go about his wooing after the manner of peoplethat you and I know. He called one of the chief men of his court, andsaid: "You have heard of the lovely Princess Goldenlocks. I havedetermined that she shall be my bride. I want you to go and see her;tell her about me, and beg her to become my Queen. "

Then the King ordered a great number of horses brought for theambassador, and he directed his men to send more than a hundredservants also. You see, in that way he hoped to be able to impressthe Princess with his wealth and importance. 

The King was conceited, and did not think for a moment that anyPrincess, no matter how beautiful, would refuse to become his wife. Sohe ordered his servants to make great preparations for her coming, andto refurnish the palace. He told his ambassador to be sure to bring thePrincess back with him. 

The King waited with great impatience for the return of the ambassador, who had quite a long journey to make before he could get to the courtof the Princess Goldenlocks. Then one day he appeared in the King'scourt. 

"Where is my lovely bride?" the King asked eagerly, expecting theambassador to say that she was in the next room, and would come inat once. 

"Your Majesty, " replied the ambassador, very sadly, "I could not bringthe Princess to you. She sent you her thanks for your offer, but shecould not accept the gifts which you sent her, and she will not marryyou. "

"What!" the King exclaimed indignantly, as he fingered the pearls anddiamonds which he had sent Goldenlocks, and which she had sent back. "Iand my jewels are not good enough for the Princess Goldenlocks!" Andthe King cried and cried, just as if he had not been grown up. 

All the people in the court were greatly disturbed because theambassador had failed in his mission. They felt themselves injuredto think that Goldenlocks would not marry their King. There was onecourtier, named Charming, who felt especially bad, for he was very fondof the King. He even said one day that he was certain that if the Kinghad only let him go to Goldenlocks, she would have consented to a royalmarriage. 

Now, there were in that court some very jealous men, who thought thatCharming was altogether too great a favorite with the King. When theyheard him say that he could have won Goldenlocks for his master, theygot together and agreed to tell the King that Charming was making sillyboasts. 

"Your majesty, " one of them said, "Charming told us that if you had lethim go to Goldenlocks she would never have refused to marry you. Hethinks that he is so attractive that the Princess would have fallen inlove with him immediately, and would have consented to go anywhere hewished with him. "

"Villain!" the King exclaimed. "And I thought he was my friend. "

Of course, you and I know that if the King himself had been any sort ofa friend he would never have doubted the good faith of Charming justbecause someone else spoke evil of him. But what did the King do butorder Charming put into a dungeon and given no food or water, so thatthe poor fellow should die of hunger!

Poor Charming was bewildered when the King's guards came to carry himoff to prison. He could not imagine why the King had turned against himin this unfair way. It made him miserable enough to be in a cold, dampcell, with no food to eat, and no water to drink except that from alittle stream which flowed through the cell. He had no bed--just adirty pile of straw. But all these discomforts were as nothing to theworry he had as to why the King, whom he had always liked, had treatedhim so unjustly. He used to talk to himself about it. One day he said, as he had thought dozens of times before:

"What have I done that my kindest friend, to whom I have always beenfaithful, should have turned against me and left me to die in thisprison cell?"

As luck would have it, the King himself was passing by the dungeonwhere Charming was confined when he spoke these words, and the Kingheard them. Perhaps the King's better self had been telling him that heought at least to have given Charming a chance to tell his side of thestory before condemning him to die. I do not know. At any rate when heheard this voice coming out of the dungeon he insisted on going in atonce to see Charming. 

"Your Gracious Majesty, " said Charming, "I could not believe that itwas really your wish that I be confined in this cell. All my life Ihave had no wish but to serve you faithfully. "

"Charming!" the King exclaimed, "can this be true! They told me thatyou have made fun of me because the Princess Goldenlocks had refusedto marry me. "

"I, Your Majesty, mocked you?" Charming was astonished. "That is nottrue. It is true, however, that I said that if you would send me toGoldenlocks I believed I could persuade her to become your wife, because I know so many good things about you which I would tell her. Icould paint such a lovely picture of you that she could not possiblyhelp falling in love with your Majesty. "

Then the King knew that he had been deceived by his courtiers, and hefelt that he had been very silly to believe them. He took Charming withhim to the palace right away, and, after having the best supper whichthe cooks could prepare served for Charming, the King asked him to goand see whether it was not yet possible to persuade Goldenlocks tomarry him. 

Charming did not set off with any such retinue of servants as hadthe other ambassador. The King gave him letters to the Princess, andCharming picked out one present for her--a lovely scarf embroideredwith pearls. 

The next morning Charming started out. He had armed himself with anotebook and pencil. As he rode along he thought much about what hemight say to the Princess that would make her want to marry his King. 

One day as he rode along he saw a deer stretching out its neck to reachthe leaves of the tree above it. "What a graceful creature!" thoughtCharming. "I will tell Goldenlocks that the King is as graceful as adeer. " Then on the road ahead he saw a great shadow, cast by an eaglein its flight. "How swift and strong that eagle is, " he mused. "I willtell the Princess that the King is like the eagle in strength andswiftness and majesty. "

Charming got off his horse and sat down by a brook to jot down histhoughts in his notebook. As he opened his book to write he saw, struggling in the grass by his side, a golden carp. The fish had jumpedtoo high when it tried to catch a fly, and had landed on the ground. The poor creature was helpless to get back into the water, and wasgasping for breath; fish, you know, cannot live long out of water. Charming felt so sorry for the carp that he could not write until hehad put it carefully back into the brook. 

"Thank you, Charming, " said a voice from the water. Charming had neverheard a fish speak before, and you can imagine that he was mightilysurprised. "Some day I will repay this kindness. "

For several days after this adventure Charming journeyed on. Then, onemorning, he heard a great crying in the air, above him. A huge vulturewas pursuing a raven. The vulture was drawing closer and closer to itsprey--was almost upon it. Charming could not stand idly by and watchthe helpless little raven fight against its enormous enemy. He drew hisbow, and shot an arrow straight into the vulture's heart. The ravenflew down, and as it passed Charming it said gratefully: "I have you tothank that I am not now in that great vulture's beak. I will rememberyour great kindness. "

Not long afterward, Charming came upon a great net which men hadstretched in the woods in order to catch birds. A poor owl was caughtin it. "Men are cruel creatures, " thought Charming. "I don't think itis very kind or praiseworthy to set a trap for these creatures who dono one any harm. " And Charming proceeded to cut the net and set the owlfree. 

The owl flapped its wings noisily as it flew out of the net. "Thankyou, Charming, " it said. "You know I can't see well in the daylight, and I did not notice this trap. I shall never forget that I have youto thank for my being alive. "

Charming found Goldenlocks surrounded by a splendor greater than anyhe had ever seen before. Pearls and diamonds were so plentiful that hebegan to think they must grow on trees in this kingdom! It worried hima little, for he thought he would have to be very clever to persuadeGoldenlocks to leave so much luxury. 

With fear and trembling Charming presented himself at the door ofPrincess Goldenlocks' palace on the morning after his arrival. He haddressed himself with the greatest care in a handsome suit of crimsonvelvet. On his head was a hat of the same brocaded material, trimmedwith waving ostrich plumes, which were fastened to his hat with a claspset with flashing diamonds. A messenger was sent at once to thePrincess to announce his arrival. 

"Your Majesty, " the messenger said. "There is the most handsomegentleman sent from a King awaiting you below. He is dressed like aPrince, and he is the most charming person I have ever seen. In fact, his very name is Charming. "

"His name sounds as if I would like him, " said the Princess, musingly. "I will see him presently. Honora, bring me my best blue satingown--the one embroidered with pearls. "

Then the Princess had a fresh wreath of pink roses made to wind in herlovely golden hair; Honora pushed tiny blue satin slippers on the feetof her mistress, and handed her an exquisite silver lace fan. ThenGoldenlocks was all ready. She assumed her most princess-like manner, and entered the great throne room. You may be sure, however, that shestopped on the way, in the hall of mirrors, to see that she reallydeserved all the compliments which her handmaids gave her. 

When Goldenlocks was seated on the throne of gold and ivory, and herhandmaids were posed gracefully about her, playing idly on guitars, Charming was brought in. He was as though struck dumb by the beautywhich greeted his eyes. He forgot for the moment all that he hadintended to say--all the long harangue prepared so carefully on theway. Then he took a deep breath, and began, just as he had intended, with:

"Most lovely Princess Goldenlocks, I have come to ask your hand inmarriage for the most noble King in the world. "

I think his speech must have been very interesting, for Goldenlocks didnot take her eyes from Charming's face during the hour in whichCharming described the glories of his King. 

"What, O most gracious Princess, may I take to the King as an answerto his plea?" Charming finally inquired. 

"Tell him, " said Goldenlocks kindly, "I believe that no King who wasnot worthy and charming himself could have an ambassador like you. "

"But, " she added after a pause, "tell him also that Goldenlocks may notmarry. I have taken a solemn vow that I will not marry until a ringwhich I lost in the brook a month ago is found. I valued that ring morethan my whole kingdom, but it cannot be found. "

Charming went away disheartened, because he did not have the slightestidea how to go about finding the Princess's ring. Luckily for him, hehad brought with him a cunning little dog named Frisk. Frisk was alight-hearted creature. He always was hopeful. So he said to Charming:

"Why, master, let us not give up hope without even trying. Let's godown to the brook to-morrow morning and see if we can't find thePrincess's bothersome ring. "

So, bright and early the next day, Charming and Frisk walked slowlyalong the edge of the brook which flowed near the palace, hunting forthe ring. They walked for about half an hour, when a voice spoke tothem out of nowhere:

"Well, Charming, I have kept my promise. You once saved my life, youknow. Now I have brought you the Princess Goldenlocks' ring. "

Charming looked up and down and all around in great amazement. Then, athis very feet, he saw the golden carp which he had rescued a few daysbefore; and, best of all, in the carp's mouth was the Princess's goldring. 

With joy in his heart Charming rushed to the palace, with Frisk dancingalong at his heels. Goldenlocks was disappointed to hear that he hadcome back so soon. "He must have given up already, " she told herhandmaids, as she made ready to receive Charming. 

When Charming entered the Princess's throne room he did not say a word;he simply handed her the ring. 

"My ring!" the Princess called out in amazement. "You have found it!"And she seemed delighted that Charming had succeeded. 

"Now, " said Charming, with something of assurance, "you will make readyto return to my King with me, will you not?"

"Oh, no!" the Princess cried, as if she had never thought of such athing. "I can never marry until an awful enemy of mine is killed. Thereis a fierce giant who lives near here. He once asked me to marry him, and I, of course, refused. It made him very angry. He swore vengeanceupon me, and I am afraid to leave my kingdom while he is alive. I thinkthe creature--his name is Galifron--can really have no human heart atall, for he can kill two or three or four persons a day without feelinganything but joy in his crimes. "

Charming shuddered at this appalling picture of his enemy-to-be. 

"If it be in my power so to do, Princess Goldenlocks, I will slay yourenemy. " With these words Charming turned on his heels and left thepalace. 

Frisk realized that Charming was worried about the difficult new taskwhich Goldenlocks had given him. "Never you worry, Master, " he saidcheerfully. "If you will but attack the monster I will bark and bite athis heels until he won't know what he is doing. He will be so confusedthat I know you will be able to conquer him. "

Charming rode up to the giant's castle boldly enough. He knew themonster was coming toward him, because he could hear the crash oftrees which broke under the huge feet. Then he heard a voice roaringlike thunder:

 "Poof, woof, clear the way! Bing, bang, 'tis to-day! Zip, zook, I must slay! Whizz, fizz, the King's pet, Charming! Pish, tush, isn't it alarming!"

Charming trembled, and he could feel the cold perspiration stand out onhis brow. But he took a deep breath, and shouted as loud as he could(which was not nearly as loud as the giant could):

 "Galifron, take warning, For your day is ending. Prepare to find that Charming Is really quite alarming!"

Galifron was so high above Charming that he had to hunt quite hardbefore he could discover who was saying these words. When he saw thelittle fellow standing ready to fight him he laughed, and yet he wasangry. He lifted his great club and would have knocked the life outof Charming in a trice, but suddenly he could not see. He roared withpain, for a raven had plucked out his eyes. Galifron beat wildly inthe air, trying to protect himself from the bird; meanwhile Charmingseized his opportunity, and it was only a moment until Galifron lay atCharming's feet. Only Galifron was so big that Charming had to stand ontop of him in order to make sure that he was really dead. 

To the Princess, Charming rode back as fast as his horse could carryhim. In front of him, on his saddle, he carried the giant's head. ThePrincess was taking her afternoon nap, when she was awakened by loudshouts of "Hail, Charming! Hail, conqueror of hideous Galifron!"

Goldenlocks could scarcely believe her ears. She rushed to the front ofthe palace, and sure enough, there she was greeted by Charming, bearingher enemy's head. 

It seemed as if such a feat of daring should have been enough tosatisfy even Goldenlocks. 

"Now, fair Princess, will you not return with me to my King?"

"Charming, I cannot, " said the Princess; and to Charming her wordssounded like the stroke of doom. "Before I marry I must have somewater from the spring of eternal youth. This spring is at the bottomof Gloomy Cavern--a great cave not far from here, which is guarded bytwo fierce dragons. If I have a flask from that spring I shall alwaysremain young and beautiful. I should never dare to marry without itsprotection. "

"Beautiful Goldenlocks, you could never be anything but young andbeautiful; but I will none the less try to fulfill your mission. "

Even though Charming had just conquered a giant he did not feel verycomfortable at the idea of having to find his way past two dragonsinto a dark and gloomy cavern. He approached the cavern with muchdetermination, but with many misgivings. When Frisk saw the black smokebelching out of the rocks at the entrance of the cavern the dog shookall over with fear; and I have been told that when Charming saw Friskrun off and try to hide, he himself would have been very glad if hecould have run away, too. But being a man, he, of course, had to bebrave; so he set his teeth and approached the cave. 

Then he saw the first dragon--a huge, slimy creature, all yellow andgreen, with great red claws, and a tail which seemed to Charming to benearly a mile long. 

Charming turned back and called to Frisk. "Dear Frisk, " he said sadly, "I know I shall never see the light of day again if I enter thiscavern. Wait here for me until nightfall; then, if I have not comeback, go and tell the Princess that I have lost my life trying to winfor her eternal youth and beauty. Then tell the King that I did my bestfor him, but failed. "

Charming turned again to attack the dragon. 

"Wait a minute, Charming!"

Charming looked around to see who spoke these words. "It's I, Charming, the owl you rescued from the net the fowlers set for us poor birds. Letme take Goldenlocks' flask, and I will fetch the water for you. I knowevery turn of that dark cavern, and the dragons will not notice whetherI pass them or not. " And the owl took the flask out of Charming's hand, fluttered into the cavern, and disappeared. 

"Here you are, Charming. You see I did not forget your kindness to me. "With these words the owl handed to Charming the flask full of waterfrom the magic spring. Charming was so happy that he could hardly findwords to thank the owl. He rode straight to Goldenlocks with thewonderful liquid. 

"Beautiful Goldenlocks, here is the water you asked me to get foryou. My mind cannot conceive of anything, however, which would addto your beauty. I do know, however, something which would add to yourhappiness. I have found your ring, slain your enemy, brought you thesecret of youth and health; now will you not come with me to my King, who loves you so much that he will make you the happiest woman onearth?"

"Yes, " said Goldenlocks, softly. Her answer really surprised Charmingvery much, because he had come to think that she would never cease tofind new tasks for him to perform. She gave orders at once for thenecessary preparations for the journey, and in a few days she andCharming and little Frisk set out for home, with a great retinue ofservants, of course. 

The King greeted them with the greatest enthusiasm. He proclaimed aholiday throughout his kingdom, and every one feasted and danced. 

But, strange to say, the Princess Goldenlocks found herself dailythinking more and more, not of the King, but of Charming. 

One day Charming found himself once more in prison, bound hand andfoot. The King thought this would be a good way to rid himself of hisrival. 

Goldenlocks used to beg the King to set Charming free, but that onlymade things worse. Little Frisk was Charming's only comfort; he usedto take him all the court news. 

"Maybe, " said the King to himself one day, "the reason Goldenlocksprefers Charming to me is that I am not beautiful enough to suit her. Ibelieve I will try some of that water of eternal beauty and health thatshe is always talking about. "

Without a word to anyone the King stole into the Queen's room andhunted about until he found the flask of water. He bathed his face inthe water and stood in front of a mirror to watch the change. A fewhours later the Queen found him sound asleep. She could not awaken him, and they sent for the court physician; he could not rouse the King. "The King, " the physician told the Queen, "is dead. "

Now this is what had happened. One day when the Princess's maid Honorawas cleaning her room she knocked over the flask which contained theprecious water, and broke it in a thousand pieces. Honora was terriblyfrightened. She would not have let the Princess know what had occurredfor anything. She remembered seeing a flask in the King's room justlike the one she had broken, and she put it in the very spot from whichshe had knocked the other. 

Unluckily for the King, the maid took a flask which contained a deadlywater which was used to "do away" with criminals. 

"Woof, woof!" said Frisk in the Queen's ear. "Please have pity on mypoor master, good Queen! Remember all he did for you, and how he issuffering for your sake now!"

Goldenlocks at once left the room where the King's body lay in stateand went to the tower where Charming was confined. She opened his celland set him free. She put a golden crown on his head, and removed thechains from his wrists and ankles. 

"King Charming!" said the Queen, "now you and I shall be married, and--live happily ever after!"

PRINCE HYACINTH AND THE DEAR LITTLE PRINCESS

BY MADAME LEPRINCE DE BEAUMONT

Once upon a time there lived a King who was deeply in love with aPrincess, but she could not marry anyone, because she was under anenchantment. So the King set out to seek a fairy, and asked what hecould do to win the Princess's love. The Fairy said to him:

"You know that the Princess has a great cat which she is very fond of. Whoever is clever enough to tread on that cat's tail is the man she isdestined to marry. "

The King said to himself that this would not be very difficult; and heleft the Fairy, determined to grind the cat's tail to powder ratherthan not tread on it at all. 

You may imagine that it was not long before he went to see thePrincess; and puss, as usual, marched in before him, arching its back. The King took a long step, and quite thought he had the tail under hisfoot, but the cat turned round so sharply that he trod only on air. Andso it went on for eight days, till the King began to think that thisfatal tail must be full of quick-silver--it was never still for amoment. 

At last, however, he was lucky enough to come upon puss fast asleep andwith its tail conveniently spread out. So the King, without losing amoment, set his foot upon it heavily. 

With one terrific yell the cat sprang up and instantly changed into atall man, who, fixing his angry eyes upon the King, said:

"You shall marry the Princess because you have been able to break theenchantment, but I will have my revenge. You shall have a son, whowill never be happy until he finds out that his nose is too long, andif you ever tell anyone what I have just said to you, you shall vanishaway instantly, and no one shall ever see you or hear of you again. "

Though the King was horribly afraid of the enchanter, he could not helplaughing at this threat. 

"If my son has such a long nose as that, " he said to himself, "he mustalways see it or feel it; at least, if he is not blind or withouthands. "

But, as the enchanter had vanished, he did not waste any more time inthinking, but went to seek the Princess, who very soon consented tomarry him. But after all, they had not been married very long when theKing died, and the Queen had nothing left to care for but her littleson, who was called Hyacinth. The little Prince had large blue eyes, the prettiest eyes in the world, and a sweet little mouth, but, alas!his nose was so enormous that it covered half his face. The Queen wasinconsolable when she saw this great nose, but her ladies assured herthat it was not really as large as it looked; that it was a Roman nose, and you had only to open any history book to see that every hero has alarge nose. The Queen, who was devoted to her baby, was pleased withwhat they told her, and when she looked at Hyacinth again, his nosecertainly did not seem to her _quite_ so large. 

The Prince was brought up with great care; and, as soon as he couldspeak, they told him all sorts of dreadful stories about people who hadshort noses. No one was allowed to come near him whose nose did notmore or less resemble his own, and the courtiers, to get into favorwith the Queen, took to pulling their babies' noses several times everyday to make them grow long. But, do what they would, they were nothingby comparison with the Prince's. 

When he grew older he learned history; and whenever any great prince orbeautiful princess was spoken of, his teachers took care to tell himthat they had long noses. 

His room was hung with pictures, all of people with very large noses;and the Prince grew up so convinced that a long nose was a great beautythat he would not on any account have had his own a single inchshorter!

When his twentieth birthday was past, the Queen thought it was timethat he should be married, so she commanded that the portraits ofseveral princesses should be brought for him to see, and among theothers was a picture of the Dear Little Princess!

Now, she was the daughter of a great King, and would some day possessseveral kingdoms herself; but Prince Hyacinth had not a thought tospare for anything of that sort, he was so much struck with her beauty. The Princess, whom he thought quite charming, had, however, a littlesaucy nose, which, in her face, was the prettiest thing possible, butit was a cause of great embarrassment to the courtiers, who had gotinto such a habit of laughing at little noses that they sometimes foundthemselves laughing at hers before they had time to think; but this didnot do at all before the Prince, who quite failed to see the joke, andactually banished two of his courtiers who had dared to mentiondisrespectfully the Dear Little Princess's tiny nose!

The others, taking warning from this, learned to think twice beforethey spoke, and one even went so far as to tell the Prince that, thoughit was quite true that no man could be worth anything unless he had along nose, still, a woman's beauty was a different thing, and he knew alearned man who understood Greek and had read in some old manuscriptsthat the beautiful Cleopatra herself had a "tip-tilted" nose!

The Prince made him a splendid present as a reward for this good news, and at once sent ambassadors to ask the Dear Little Princess inmarriage. The King, her father, gave his consent; and Prince Hyacinth, who, in his anxiety to see the Princess, had gone three leagues to meether, was just advancing to kiss her hand when, to the horror of all whostood by, the enchanter appeared as suddenly as a flash of lightning, and, snatching up the Dear Little Princess, whirled her away out oftheir sight!

The Prince was left quite inconsolable, and declared that nothingshould induce him to go back to his kingdom until he had found heragain, and refusing to allow any of his courtiers to follow him, hemounted his horse and rode sadly away, letting the animal choose itsown path. 

So it happened that he came presently to a great plain, across which herode all day long without seeing a single house, and horse and riderwere terribly hungry, when, as the night fell, the Prince caught sightof a light. 

He rode up to it, and saw a little old woman, who appeared to be atleast a hundred years old. 

She put on her spectacles to look at Prince Hyacinth, but it was quitea long time before she could fix them securely, because her nose was sovery short. 

The Prince and the Fairy (for that was who she was) had no soonerlooked at one another than they went into fits of laughter, and criedat the same moment, "Oh, what a funny nose!"

"Not so funny as your own, " said Prince Hyacinth to the Fairy; "but, madam, I beg you to leave the consideration of our noses--such as theyare--and to be good enough to give me something to eat, for I amstarving, and so is my poor horse. "

"With all my heart!" said the Fairy. "Though your nose is soridiculous, you are, nevertheless, the son of my best friend. I lovedyour father as if he had been my brother. Now _he_ had a very handsomenose!"

"And pray, what does mine lack?" said the Prince. 

"Oh! it doesn't _lack anything_, " replied the Fairy. "On the contraryquite, there is only too much of it. But never mind, one may be a veryworthy man though his nose is too long. I was telling you that I wasyour father's friend; he often came to see me in the old times, and youmust know that I was very pretty in those days; at least, he used tosay so. I should like to tell you of a conversation we had the lasttime I ever saw him. "

"Indeed, " said the Prince, "when I have supped it will give me thegreatest pleasure to hear it; but consider, madam, I beg of you, that Ihave had nothing to eat to-day. "

"The poor boy is right, " said the Fairy; "I was forgetting. Come in, then, and I will give you some supper, and while you are eating I cantell you my story in a very few words--for I don't like endless talesmyself. Too long a tongue is worse than too long a nose, and I rememberwhen I was young that I was so much admired for not being a greatchatterer. They used to tell the Queen, my mother, that it was so. Forthough you see what I am now, I was the daughter of a great king. Myfather--"

"Your father, I dare say, got something to eat when he was hungry!"interrupted the Prince. 

"Oh! certainly, " answered the Fairy, "and you also shall have supperdirectly. I only just wanted to tell you--"

"But I really cannot listen to anything until I have had somethingto eat, " cried the Prince, who was getting quite angry; but then, remembering that he had better be polite as he much needed the Fairy'shelp, he added:

"I know that in the pleasure of listening to you I should quite forgetmy own hunger; but my horse, who cannot hear you, must really be fed!"

The Fairy was very much flattered by this compliment, and said, callingto her servants:

"You shall not wait another minute, you are so polite, and in spite ofthe enormous size of your nose you are really very agreeable. "

"Plague take the old lady! How she does go on about my nose!" said thePrince to himself. "One would almost think that mine had taken all theextra length that hers lacks! If I were not so hungry I would soon havedone with this chatterpie who thinks she talks very little! How stupidpeople are not to see their own faults! That comes of being a princess;she has been spoilt by flatterers, who have made her believe that sheis quite a moderate talker!"

Meanwhile the servants were putting the supper on the table, and thePrince was much amused to hear the Fairy, who asked them a thousandquestions simply for the pleasure of hearing herself speak; especiallyhe noticed one maid who, no matter what was being said, alwayscontrived to praise her mistress's wisdom. 

"Well!" he thought, as he ate his supper. "I'm very glad I came here. This just shows me how sensible I have been in never listening toflatterers. People of that sort praise us to our faces without shame, and hide our faults or change them into virtues. For my part I neverwill be taken in by them. I know my own defects, I hope. "

Poor Prince Hyacinth! He really believed what he said, and hadn't anidea that the people who had praised his nose were laughing at him, just as the Fairy's maid was laughing at her; for the Prince had seenher laugh slyly when she could do so without the Fairy's noticing her. 

However, he said nothing, and presently, when his hunger began to beappeased, the Fairy said:

"My dear Prince, might I beg you to move a little more that way, foryour nose casts such a shadow that I really cannot see what I have onmy plate. Ah! thanks. Now let us speak of your father. When I went tohis Court he was only a little boy, but that is forty years ago, andI have been in this desolate place ever since. Tell me what goes onnowadays; are the ladies as fond of amusement as ever? In my time onesaw them at parties, theaters, balls, and promenades every day. Dearme! _What_ a long nose you have! I cannot get used to it!"

"Really, madam, " said the Prince, "I wish you would leave offmentioning my nose. It cannot matter to you what it is like. I am quitesatisfied with it, and have no wish to have it shorter. One must takewhat is given one. "

"Now you are angry with me, my poor Hyacinth, " said the Fairy, "and Iassure you that I didn't mean to vex you; on the contrary, I wished todo you a service. However, though I really cannot help your nose beinga shock to me, I will try not to say anything about it. I will even tryto think that you have an ordinary nose. To tell the truth, it wouldmake three reasonable ones. "

The Prince, who was no longer hungry, grew so impatient at the Fairy'scontinual remarks about his nose that at last he threw himself upon hishorse and rode hastily away. But wherever he came in his journey hethought the people were mad, for they all talked of his nose, and yethe could not bring himself to admit that it was too long, he had beenso used all his life to hear it called handsome. 

The old Fairy, who wished to make him happy, at last hit upon a plan. She shut the Dear Little Princess up in a palace of crystal, and putthis palace down where the Prince could not fail to find it. His joy atseeing the Princess again was extreme, and he set to work with all hismight to try to break her prison, but in spite of all his efforts hefailed utterly. In despair he thought at least that he would try to getnear enough to speak to the Dear Little Princess, who, on her part, stretched out her hand that he might kiss it; but turn which way hemight, he never could raise it to his lips, for his long nose alwaysprevented it. For the first time he realized how long it really was, and exclaimed:

"Well, it must be admitted that my nose _is_ too long!"

In an instant the crystal prison flew into a thousand splinters, andthe old Fairy, taking the Dear Little Princess by the hand, said to thePrince:

"Now, say if you are not very much obliged to me. Much good it was forme to talk to you about your nose! You would never have found out howextraordinary it was if it hadn't hindered you from doing what youwanted to. You see how self-love keeps us from knowing our own defectsof mind and body. Our reason tries in vain to show them to us; werefuse to see them till we find them in our way. "

Prince Hyacinth, whose nose was now just like anyone else's, did notfail to profit by the lesson he had received. He married the DearLittle Princess, and they lived happily ever after. 

CINDERELLA

BY CHARLES PERRAULT

Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, theproudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had, by aformer husband, two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by his first wife, ayoung daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world. 

No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the step-motherbegan to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the goodqualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her owndaughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest workof the house: the young girl scoured the dishes, tables, etc. , andscrubbed madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she layup in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters layin fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newestfashion, and where they had looking glasses so large that they mightsee themselves at their full length from head to foot. 

The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, whowould have rattled her off; for his wife governed him entirely. Whenshe had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, andsit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called_Cinderwench_; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as theeldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding hermean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, thoughthey were always dressed very richly. 

It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited all personsof fashion to it. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut avery grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted atthis invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing out such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a newtrouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sister's linen, and plaited their ruffles; they talked all day long of nothing but howthey should be dressed. 

"For my part, " said the eldest, "I will wear my red velvet suit withFrench trimming. "

"And I, " said the youngest, "shall have my usual petticoat; but then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and mydiamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in theworld. "

They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to dress their hairand to adjust their double pinners. 

Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all thesematters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for thebest, nay, and offered her services to dress their heads, which theywere very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said toher:

"Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?"

"Alas!" said she, "you only jeer at me; it is not for such as I am togo thither. "

"Thou art in the right of it, " replied they; "it would make the peoplelaugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball. "

Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she wasvery good, and did them perfectly well. They were almost two dayswithout eating, so much they were transported with joy. They brokeabove a dozen of laces in trying to be laced up close, that theymight have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at theirlooking-glasses. At last the happy day came; they went to Court, andCinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and whenshe had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying. 

Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter. 

"I wish I could--I wish I could--" she was not able to speak the rest, being interrupted by her tears and sobbing. 

This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, "Thou wishestthou couldst go to the ball; is it not so?"

"Y--es, " cried Cinderella, with a great sigh. 

"Well, " said her godmother, "be but a good girl, and I will contrivethat thou shalt go. " Then she took her into her chamber, and said toher, "Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin. "

Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, andbrought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkincould make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the insideof it, having left nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it withher wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold. 

She then went to look into the mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trap-door, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogethermade a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-coloreddapple-gray. Being at a loss for a coachman, "I will go and see, " says Cinderella, "if there should be a rat in therat-trap--we may make a coachman of him. "

"Thou art in the right, " replied her godmother; "go and look. "

Cinderella brought the trap to her and in it there were three hugerats. The fairy made choice of one of the three which had the largestbeard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld. Afterthat, she said to her:

"Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind thewatering-pot, bring them to me. "

She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into sixfootmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with theirliveries all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behindeach other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. TheFairy then said to Cinderella:

"Well, you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with; are you notpleased with it?"

"Oh! yes, " cried she; "but must I go thither as I am, in these nastyrags?"

Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the sameinstant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, allbeset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got upinto her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her notto stay till after midnight, telling her, at the same time, that ifshe stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, herhorses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothesbecome just as they were before. 

She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ballbefore midnight; and then away she drove, scarce able to containherself for joy. The King's son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her hishand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall, amongall the company. There was immediately a profound silence, they leftoff dancing and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyoneto contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer. Nothingwas then heard but a confused noise of:

"Ah! how handsome she is! Ah! how handsome she is!"

The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, andtelling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen sobeautiful and lovely a creature. 

All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and head-dress, that they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials and as able handsto make them. 

The King's son conducted her to the most honorable seat, and afterwardtook her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that theyall more and more admired her. A fine collation was served up, whereofthe young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in gazingon her. 

She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousandcivilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which thePrince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, forthey did not know her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon sheimmediately made a courtesy to the company and hastened away as fastas she could. 

Arrived at home, she ran to seek out her godmother, and, after havingthanked her, she said she could not but heartily wish she might go nextday to the ball, because the King's son had desired her. 

As she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at theball, her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran andopened. 

"How long you have stayed!" cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes andstretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep; shehad not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they wentfrom home. 

"If thou hadst been at the ball, " says one of her sisters, "thouwouldst not have been tired with it. There came thither the finestprincess, the most beautiful ever seen with mortal eyes; she showed usa thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons. "

Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter. She did ask them thename of that princess; but they told her they did not know it, and thatthe King's son was very uneasy on her account and would give all theworld to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:

"She must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been!Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellowsuit of clothes which you wear every day. "

"Ay, to be sure!" cried Miss Charlotte; "lend my clothes to such adirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be a fool. "

Cinderella, indeed, expected well such an answer, and was very glad ofthe refusal; for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister hadlent her what she asked for jestingly. 

The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was alwaysby her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her. Allthis was so far from being tiresome that she quite forgot what hergodmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted theclock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven. Shethen rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, butcould not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out ofbreath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left her of allher finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped. 

The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen aprincess go out. To this they replied that they had seen nobody go outbut a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of apoor country wench than a gentlewoman. 

When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked themwhether they had had a good time, and if the fine lady had been there. 

 [Illustration]

They told her: "Yes, but she hurried away immediately when it strucktwelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glassslippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King's son picked up;he did nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and mostcertainly he is very much in love with the beautiful person who ownedthe glass slipper. "

What they said was very true; for a few days after the King's soncaused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marryher whose foot this slipper would just fit. They whom he employed beganto try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all theypossibly could to thrust their foot into the slipper, but they couldnot effect it. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper, saidto them, laughing:

"Let me see if it will not fit me. "

Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter her. Thegentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly atCinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said:

"It is but just that she should try, and I have orders to let everyonemake trial. "

He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to herfoot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had beenmade of wax. The astonishment her two sisters were in was excessivelygreat, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of herpocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in cameher godmother, who, having touched with her wand Cinderella's clothes, made them richer and more magnificent than any of those she had before. 

And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whomthey had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to begpardon for all the ill-treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderellatook them up, and, as she embraced them, cried:

"I forgive you with all my heart, and I want you to love me always. "

She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was; he thoughther more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisterslodgings in the palace, and that very same day matched them with twogreat lords of the Court. 

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

ADAPTED FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM

The King and Queen of a faraway country once had a little daughter, whowas more beautiful than any child that had ever before been seen. Herfather and mother were so delighted that they proclaimed a publicholiday on her christening, and invited to act as godmothers the sevengood fairies who lived in the kingdom. Unfortunately, they forgot toask one ugly old fairy, who had remained shut up in her tower so manyyears that people really had forgotten about her. 

When the night of the christening arrived the castle was beautiful tobehold. Lights shone even to the highest tower; beautiful music soundedfrom behind masses of fragrant flowers; splendidly dressed knights andladies were there to honor the little Princess; and the seven goodfairies smilingly gave her their gifts. 

So excited and happy were all that no one noticed an old creature whohad slipped in and stood in the shadow looking on. This was the fairywho had not been invited; and, in anger at the slight, she was waitingher chance to make trouble. 

"For my gift, " said the first fairy, "I grant that the Princess shallbe the most beautiful person in the world. "

"I give her the mind of an angel, " said the second. 

"She shall be grace itself, " said the third. 

"She shall dance like a goddess, " said the fourth. 

"Her voice shall equal the nightingale's, " said the fifth. 

"The art of playing on all musical instruments shall be hers, " saidthe sixth. 

Now the wicked old enchantress thought that all seven good fairies hadspoken, so she stepped forth, her face distorted with hatred and envy, and said: "So I am not thought good enough to be a guest here: youdespise me because I am old and ugly. I shall make a gift, and it shallbe a curse. When your fine young lady becomes sixteen she shall fallasleep, and nothing you can do will be able to waken her. "

Then with a horrid laugh the hag disappeared. 

Horror seized the guests, and the party, which had been so gay, becamesolemn indeed. 

Then the seventh good fairy sprang up and said in silvery tones: "Mygift is yet to be laid before the Princess. I am young, and I can notundo the evil that has befallen. But be not unhappy, for I grant thaton the day when the curse falls, every living thing in the castle shallalso fall asleep. Moreover, I grant that whenever there is a Prince whois brave enough to be worthy of this lovely Princess, he shall find away to break the spell. "

As the little girl grew older the words of the good fairies came true. Not only was she beautiful and gifted, but she was so kind andthoughtful that everyone loved her dearly. 

At first they were very careful to tell her nothing of the wickedfairy's curse, and then there were so many other things to think aboutthat people forgot all about the old fairy and her gift. 

The sixteenth birthday arrived, and there was a very specialcelebration to please the Princess. The castle was decorated morebeautifully, if possible, than on the night of the christening, andeveryone was dancing or laughing and as happy as could be. Suddenly theold fairy stepped out from a shadow, as she had done years before, andlooking at the beautiful girl said, "Sleep. " Immediately not one soundor stir was in that gorgeous castle. 

Now, you must forget for a bit all about the Sleeping Beauty, and hearabout a noble Prince who was born many years later in a kingdom not farfrom this one. Not only was this Prince handsome and brave, but he wasso kind and good that people called him "Prince Winsome. "

All his life he had heard terrible stories about an enchanted castle, whose towers could be seen on a clear day far off above a dense forest. It was said that the trees grew so close together in this forest thatwhen a knight attempted to force his way through, he always becameentangled in the branches and perished. Many young men were said tohave met this fate; so little by little people stopped trying to reachthe castle. 

But the little Prince was courageous. "When I am sixteen, I shall startout for the magic forest and rescue the beautiful maiden, whom, I amsure, I shall find in the castle, " he said. 

 [Illustration: JAKOB AND WILHELM GRIMM]

True to his word, on his sixteenth birthday our Prince set offeagerly on his adventure. His courtiers urged him not to go, and hissubjects pleaded with him, for they did not wish to lose their Prince. They were afraid he would die in the forest they so dreaded. They didnot realize how difficulties and dangers give way before a brave, true-hearted youth. 

 [Illustration: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY FROM A DRAWING BY EDITH W. YAFFEE]

When Prince Winsome reached the edge of the dense forest it looked asif no man could ever enter. Great trees grew close together with theirbranches intertwined. So thick were they that the place looked as darkas night. When Winsome came near, a marvelous thing happened. Thebranches slowly untwined and the trees seemed to bend apart and make anarrow pathway for his entrance. They closed immediately after him, sothat his followers were closed out and he went on alone. After a longtime he found himself in the courtyard of a great castle. There was nota sound or a stir; the watchman stood sleeping at the gate, and theguards were standing as if playing a game of dice, but all were soundasleep. 

Prince Winsome entered the castle hall and found it full of nobleladies and knights, servants, waiting maids, flower girls, allmotionless and yet the flush of life on their cheeks. The dancersseemed about to whirl away in the waltz; the musicians bent overtheir violins; and a servant was in the act of passing cakes to theguests--yet they all held the same fixed position, and had since thatday years before when sleep overcame them. 

Advancing from room to room the same sight everywhere met our hero'seyes, but his heart began to beat faster and faster, and he knew thatthe object of his search was near. At last he entered the throne roomand there on an ivory throne, her head resting against a satin pillow, was his longed-for Princess. She was so much more beautiful than he hadeven imagined that he paused in rapture; then, crossing to her, heknelt by her side and kissed her tenderly on the brow. 

Then what do you think happened? The Princess smiled, drew a longbreath, opened her eyes slowly, and said: "Oh, my Prince! I knew youwould come. " At the same moment the musicians went on just where theyhad stopped playing so many years before; the dancers finished theirwaltz; the servant offered the cakes; and no one but the Prince seemedto think the proceeding strange at all. 

The Sleeping Beauty and Prince Winsome were married at once, and livedlong and happily. 

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

There was once a merchant who was extremely rich. He had sixchildren--three boys and three girls; and as he was a very sensibleman, he spared nothing on their education, but gave them all kinds ofmasters. His daughters were beautiful, but the youngest had such apeculiar charm about her that even from her birth she had been calledBeauty; and this name caused her sisters to feel jealous and envious ofher. The reason she was so much more admired than they were, was thatshe was much more amiable. Her sweet face beamed with good temper andcheerfulness. No frown ever spoiled her fair brow, or bowed the cornersof her mouth. She possessed the charm of good temper, which is initself beauty. 

The merchant's elder daughters were idle, ill-tempered, and proud;therefore people soon forgot that they were beautiful, and onlyremembered them as very disagreeable. 

The pride of these young ladies was so great that they did not care tovisit the daughters of men in their father's own rank of life, butwished to be the friends of great ladies and princesses. 

They were always busy trying to get great acquaintances, and met withmany mortifications in the effort; however, it pleased them to go outand endeavor to be people of fashion. Every day they drove in theparks, and went in the evening to balls, operas, and plays. 

Meantime, Beauty spent almost all her days in studying. Her recreationwas to do good. She was to be found in every poor cottage where therewas trouble or sickness, and the poor loved her as much as the richadmired her. As it was known that their father was very rich, manymerchants asked the girls in marriage; but all these offers wererefused, because the two eldest thought they ought at least to bewives of a rich nobleman or a prince. 

As for Beauty, she thanked those who asked her to share their fortunes, but told them that she was too young; that she wished to be herfather's companion, and cheer his old age by her loving care. 

One unhappy day the merchant returned home in the evening, and toldthem that he was ruined; that his ships had gone down at sea, and thatthe firms with which he had been dealing were bankrupt. 

Beauty wept for grief, because her father was unhappy and unfortunate, and asked him what was to be done. 

"Alas! my child, " he replied, "we must give up our house, and go intothe country. There I can get a cottage to shelter us; and we must liveby the work of our own hands. "

"Ah!" said Beauty eagerly, "I can spin and knit, and sew very well. Idare say I shall be able to help you, my dear father. "

But the elder daughters did not speak. They had made up their minds tomarry one or the other of their rejected lovers, and did not intend toshare their father's fallen fortunes. 

They found themselves, however, greatly mistaken. The merchants who hadwished to marry them when rich cared nothing for them when poor, andnever came to see them again. But those who had loved Beauty crowded tothe house, and begged and besought her to marry them and share theirfortunes. Beauty was grateful, but she told them that she could notleave her father in his sorrow; she must go with him to console him andwork for him. The poor girl was very sorry to lose her fortune, becauseshe could not do so much good without it; but she knew that her placewas ordered for her, and that she might be quite as happy poor as rich. 

Very soon the merchant's family had to leave their noble mansion, tosell off all their costly furniture, and to go into the country, wherethe father and his sons got work; the former as a bailiff, the latteras farm laborers. And now Beauty had to think and work for all. 

She rose at four o'clock every morning. She cleaned the house; preparedthe breakfast; spread it neatly, and decked the board with the sweetestflowers. Then she cooked the dinner, and when evening came and broughtthe laborers home, Beauty had always a cheerful welcome for them, aclean home, and a savory supper. During the hours of the afternoon sheused to read and keep up her knowledge of languages; and all the timeshe worked she sang like a bird. Her taste made their poor home looknice, even elegant. 

She was happy in doing her duty. Her early rising revealed to her athousand beauties in nature of which she had never before dreamed. 

Beauty acknowledged to herself that sunrise was finer than any pictureshe had ever seen; that no perfumes equalled those of the flowers; thatno opera gave her so much enjoyment as the song of the lark and theserenade of the nightingale. 

Her sleep was as happy and peaceful as that of a child; her awakening, cheerful, contented, and blest by heaven. 

Meantime her sisters grew peevish, cross, and miserable. They would notwork, and as they had nothing else to amuse them, the days draggedalong, and seemed as if they would never end. They did nothing butregret the past and bewail the present. As they had no one to admirethem, they did not care how they looked, and were as dirty andneglected in appearance as Beauty was neat and fresh and charming. 

Perhaps they had some consciousness of the contrast between her andthemselves, for they disliked the poor girl more than ever, and werealways mocking her, and jesting about her wonderful fitness for beinga servant. 

"It is quite plain, " they would say, "that you are just where you oughtto be: We are ladies; but you are a low-minded girl, who have foundyour right place in the world. "

Beauty only answered her sisters' unkind words with soft and tenderones, so there was no quarrelling, and by-and-by they became ashamedto speak to her harshly. 

At the expiration of a year the merchant received intelligence of thearrival of one of his richest ships, which had escaped the storm. Heprepared to set off to a distant port to claim his property; but beforehe went he asked each daughter what gift he should bring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second for diamonds; but the thirdsaid, "Dear father, bring me a white rose. "

Now it is no easy task to find a white rose in that country, yet, asBeauty was his kindest daughter, and was very fond of flowers, herfather said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all three, and bade them good-by. And when the time came for him to go home, hehad bought pearls and jewels for the two eldest, but he had soughteverywhere in vain for the white rose; and when he went into any gardenand asked for such a thing, the people laughed at him, and asked himwho had ever heard of a white rose. This grieved him very much, for histhird daughter was his dearest child; and as he was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he lost his way in a wood. The nightwas closing in, and as the merchant was aware that there were manybears in that country, he became very anxious to find a shelter forthe night. 

By-and-by he perceived afar off a light, which appeared to come from ahuman dwelling, and he urged on his tired horse till he gained thespot. Instead of the woodman's hut on a hill which he had expected tosee, he found himself in front of a magnificent castle, built of whitemarble. Approaching the door, he blew a golden horn which hung from achain by the side of it, and as the blast echoed through the wood, thedoor slowly unclosed, and revealed to him a wide and noble hall, illuminated by myriads of golden lamps. 

He looked to see who had admitted him, but perceiving no one, he said:

"Sir porter, a weary traveler craves shelter for the night. "To his amazement, two hands, without any body, moved from behind thedoor, and taking hold of his arm drew him gently into the hall. 

He perceived that he was in a fairy palace, and putting his own handsin a friendly pressure on one of the ghostly hands, said:

"You are very kind, but I cannot leave my horse out in the cold. "

The hand beckoned, and another pair of shadowy hands crossed the hall, and went outside and led away the horse to the stable. 

Then the merchant's first friends led him gently onwards till he stoodin a large and splendid dining-room, where a costly banquet was spread, evidently intended for him, for the hands placed a chair for him andhanded him the dishes, and poured out a refreshing drink for him, andwaited on him while he supped. 

When his repast was over, they touched him, and beckoned to him; andfollowing them, he found himself in a bedroom furnished with greatelegance; the curtains were made of butterflies' wings sewn together. 

The hands undressed the stranger, prepared him a bath of rose-water, lifted him into bed and put out the light. 

Then the merchant fell asleep. He did not awake till late thenext morning. The sun was streaming in through the beautifulwindow-curtains, and the birds were uttering their shrill cries inthe woods. In that country a singing bird is as rare as a white rose. 

As he sprang out of bed some bells rang a silvery chime, and heperceived that he had shaken them by his own movements, for they wereattached to the golden bed-rail, and tinkled as he shook it. 

At the sound the bedroom door opened, and the hands entered bearing acostly suit of clothes, all embroidered with gold and jewels. Againthey prepared a bath of rose-water, and attended on and dressed themerchant. And when his toilette was completed, they led him out of hisroom and downstairs to a pretty little room, where breakfast awaitedhim. 

When he had quite finished eating he thought that it was time to resumehis journey; therefore, laying a costly diamond ring on the table, hesaid:

"Kind fairy, whoever you may be to whom I owe this hospitality, acceptmy thanks and this small token of my gratitude. "

The hands took the gift up, and the merchant therefore considered thatit was accepted. Then he left the castle and proceeded to the stablesto find and saddle his horse. 

The path led through a most enchanting garden full of the fairestflowers, and as the merchant proceeded, he paused occasionally toglance at the wonderful plants and choice flowers around him. Suddenlyhis eyes rested on a white rose-tree, which was quite weighed down byits wealth of blossoms. 

He remembered his promise to his youngest daughter. 

"Ah!" he thought, "at last I have found a _white_ rose. The fairy whohas been so generous to me already will not grudge me a single flowerfrom amongst so many. "

And bending down, he gathered a white rose. 

At that moment he was startled by a loud and terrific roar, and afierce lion sprang on him and exclaimed in tones of thunder:

"Whoever dares to steal my roses shall be eaten up alive. "

Then the merchant said: "I knew not that the garden belonged to you; Iplucked only a rose as a present for my daughter; can nothing save mylife?"

"No!" said the Lion, "nothing, unless you undertake to come back in amonth, and bring me whatever meets you first on your return home. Ifyou agree to this, I will give you your life; and the rose, too, foryour daughter. "

But the man was unwilling to do so, and said, "It may be my youngestdaughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when I gohome. " But then he thought again, "It may, perhaps, be only a cat or adog. " And at last he yielded with a heavy heart, and took the rose, andsaid he would give the Lion whatever should meet him first on hisreturn. 

As he came near home, it was his youngest and dearest daughter that methim; she came running out and kissed him, and welcomed him home; andwhen she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was still more glad. 

But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, saying, "Alas!my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high price, for I havesaid I would give you to a wild lion, and when he has you, he will, perhaps, tear you in pieces and eat you. "

And he told her all that had happened, and said she should not go, letwhat would come of it. 

But she comforted him, and said, "Dear father, the word you have givenmust be kept; I will go with you to the Lion and coax him; perhaps hewill let us both return safe home again. "

The time now arrived for the merchant to return to the Lion's palace, and he made preparations for his dreadful journey. Beauty had so fullymade up her mind to accompany him, that nothing could turn her fromher purpose. Her father, seeing this, determined to take her, and theyaccordingly set out on their journey. The horses galloped swiftlyacross the forest, and speedily reached the palace. As they enteredthey were greeted with the most enchanting music; but no livingcreature was to be seen. On entering the salon, the furniture of whichwas of the most costly kind, they found a rich repast prepared forthem, consisting of every delicacy. Beauty's heart failed her, for shefeared something strange would soon happen. They, however, sat down, and partook freely of the various delicacies. As soon as they hadfinished, the table was cleared by the hands. Shortly afterward therewas a knock at the door. 

"Enter, " replied the merchant; and immediately the door flew open, andthe same monster that had seized the merchant entered the room. 

The sight of his form terrified both the merchant and his daughter; asfor Beauty, she almost fainted with fright. 

But the Lion, having a handsome mantle thrown over him, advanced towardthem, and seating himself opposite Beauty, said: "Well, merchant, Iadmire your fidelity in keeping your promise; is this the daughter forwhom you gathered the rose?"

"Yes, " replied the merchant; "so great is my daughter's love to me thatshe met me first on my return home, and she is now come here infulfillment of my promise. "

"She shall have no reason to repent it, " said the Lion, "for everythingin this palace shall be at her command. As for yourself, you mustdepart on the morrow, and leave Beauty with me. I will take care thatno harm shall happen to her. You will find an apartment prepared forher. " Having said this, he arose, wished them good-night, and departed. 

Poor Beauty heard all that passed, and she trembled from head tofoot with fear. As the night was far advanced the merchant led Beautyto the apartment prepared for her, and she retired to rest. This roomwas furnished in the richest manner. The chairs and sofas weremagnificently adorned with jewels. The hangings were of the finest silkand gold, and on all sides were mirrors reaching from the floor to theceiling; it contained, in fact, everything that was rich and splendid. 

Beauty and her father slept soundly, notwithstanding their sorrow atthe thought of so soon parting. In the morning they met in the salon, where a handsome breakfast was ready prepared, of which they partook. When they had concluded, the merchant prepared for his departure; butBeauty threw herself on his neck and wept. He also wept at the thoughtof leaving her in this forlorn state, but he could not delay his returnforever, so at length he rushed into the courtyard, mounted his horse, and soon disappeared. 

Poor Beauty, now left to herself, resolved to be as happy as she could. She amused herself by walking in the gardens and gathering the whiteroses, and when tired of that she read and played on the harp which shefound in her room. On her dressing-table she found these lines, whichgreatly comforted her:

 "Welcome, Beauty! dry your tears, Banish all your sighs and fears; You are queen and mistress here, Whate'er you ask for shall appear. "

After amusing herself thus for some time she returned to the salon, where she found dinner ready prepared. The most delightful music wasplayed during the whole of dinner. When Beauty had finished, the tablewas cleared, and the most delicious fruits were produced. At the samehour as on the preceding day the Lion rapped at the door, and askedpermission to enter. Beauty was terrified, and with a trembling voiceshe said: "Come in. " He then entered, and advancing toward Beauty, whodared not look up, he said: "Will you permit me to sit with you?" "Thatis as you please, " replied she. "Not so, " said the Lion, "for you aremistress here; and if my company is disagreeable I will at onceretire. "

Beauty, struck with the courtesy of the Lion, and with the friendlytone of his voice, began to feel more courageous; and she desired himto be seated. He then entered into the most agreeable conversation, which so charmed Beauty that she ventured to look up; but when she sawhis terrible face she could scarcely avoid screaming aloud. The Lion, seeing this, got up, and making a respectful bow, wished hergood-night. Soon after, Beauty herself retired to rest. 

On the following day she amused herself as before, and began tofeel more reconciled to her condition; for she had everything at hercommand which could promote her happiness. As evening approached sheanticipated the visit of the Lion; for, notwithstanding his terriblelooks, his conversation and manners were very pleasing. He continued tovisit her every day, till at length she began to think he was not soterrible as she once thought him. One day when they were seatedtogether the Lion took hold of her hand, and said in a gentle voice:"Beauty, will you marry me?" She hastily withdrew her hand, but made noreply; at which the Lion sighed deeply and withdrew. On his next visithe appeared sorrowful and dejected, but said nothing. Some weeks afterhe repeated the question, when Beauty replied: "No, Lion, I cannotmarry you, but I will do all in my power to make you happy. " "This youcannot do, " replied he, "for unless you marry me I shall die. " "Oh, saynot so, " said Beauty, "for it is impossible that I can ever marry you. "The Lion then departed, more unhappy than ever. 

Amidst all this, Beauty did not forget her father. One day she felta strong desire to know how he was, and what he was doing; at thatinstant she cast her eyes on a mirror and saw her father lying on asick-bed, in the greatest pain, whilst her sisters were trying on somefine dresses in another room. At this sad sight poor Beauty weptbitterly. 

When the Lion came as usual he perceived her sorrow, and inquired thecause. She told him what she had seen, and how much she wished to goand nurse her father. He asked her if she would promise to return ata certain time if she went. Beauty gave him her promise, and heimmediately presented her with a rose, like that which her fatherhad plucked, saying: "Take this rose, and you may be transported towhatever place you choose; but, remember, I rely on your promise toreturn. " He then withdrew. 

Beauty felt very grateful for his kindness. She wished herself in herfather's cottage, and immediately she was at the door. 

 [Illustration: Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art "LISTENING TO FAIRY TALES" FROM A PAINTING BY J. J. SHANNON]

Full of joy, she entered the house, ran to her father's room, and fellon her knees by his bedside and kissed him. His illness had been muchincreased by fretting for poor Beauty, who he thought had long sincedied, either from fear or by the cruel monster. He was overcome withjoy on finding her still alive. He now soon began to recover under theaffectionate nursing of Beauty. The two sisters were very much annoyedat Beauty's return, for they had hoped that the Lion would havedestroyed her. They were greatly annoyed to see her so superblydressed, and felt extremely vexed to think that Beauty should haveclothes as splendid as a queen's, whilst they could not get anythinghalf so fine. 

Beauty related all that had passed in the Beast's palace, and told themof her promise to return on such a day. The two sisters were so veryjealous that they determined to ruin her prospects if possible. Theeldest said to the other: "Why should this minx be better off than weare? Let us try to keep her here beyond the time; the monster will thenbe so enraged with her for breaking her promise, that he will destroyher at once when she returns. " "That is well thought of, " replied thesister. "We will keep her. "

In order to succeed, they treated Beauty with the greatest affection, and the day before her intended departure they stole the rose which shehad told them was the means of conveying her in an instant wherever shemight wish. Beauty was so much affected by their kindness that she waseasily persuaded to remain a few days. In the meantime the envioussisters thought of enriching themselves by means of the rose, and theyaccordingly wished themselves in some grand place. Instead of beingcarried away as they expected, the rose withered, and they heard a mostterrible noise, which so alarmed them that they threw down the flowerand hid themselves. 

Beauty was greatly troubled at the loss of her rose, and soughteverywhere for it, but in vain. She happened, however, to enter hersisters' room, and, to her great joy, saw it lying withered on thefloor; but as soon as she picked it up, it at once recovered all itsfreshness and beauty. She then remembered her broken promise, and, after taking leave of her father, she wished herself in the Beast'spalace, and in an instant she was transported thither. Everything wasjust as she had left it; but the sweet sounds of music which used togreet her were now hushed, and there was an air of apparent gloomhanging over everything. She herself felt very melancholy, but sheknew not why. 

At the usual time she expected a visit from the Lion, but no Lionappeared. Beauty, wondering what all this could mean, now reproachedherself for her ingratitude in not having returned as she promised. Shefeared the poor Beast had died of grief, and she thought that she couldhave married him rather than suffer him to die. She resolved to seekhim in the morning in every part of the palace. After a miserable andsleepless night, she arose early and ran through every apartment, butno Lion could be seen. With a sorrowful heart she went into the garden, saying, "Oh that I had married the poor Lion who has been so kind tome; for, terrible though he is, I might have saved his life. I wish Icould once more see him. "

At that moment she arrived at a plot of grass where the poor Lion layas if dead. Beauty ran toward him, and knelt by his side, and seizedhis paw. 

He opened his eyes and said: "Beauty, you forgot your promise, inconsequence of which I must die. "

"No, dear Lion, " exclaimed Beauty, weeping, "no, you shall not die. What can I do to save you?"

"Will you marry me?" asked he. 

"Yes, " replied Beauty, "to save your life. "

No sooner had these words passed her lips than the lion-formdisappeared, and she saw at her feet a handsome Prince, who thanked herfor having broken his enchantment. He told her that a wicked magicianhad condemned him to wear the form of a lion until a beautiful ladyshould consent to marry him; a kind fairy had, however, given him themagic rose to help him. 

At the same instant that the Prince was changed the whole palace becamefull of courtiers, all of whom had been rendered invisible when thePrince was enchanted. 

The Prince now led Beauty into the palace, where she found her father. The Prince related all to him, and asked him to allow Beauty to becomehis wife, to which he cheerfully assented, and the nuptials weresolemnized with great rejoicing. 

The good fairy appeared to congratulate the Prince on his deliveranceand on his marriage with Beauty. As for the two sisters, she punishedthem severely for their jealous and unkind behavior. But the Prince andhis wife Beauty lived happily together in the royal palace for many, many years. 

PRINCE DARLING

Once upon a time there was a young Prince who was so well liked byeveryone in the kingdom where he lived that they named him PrinceDarling. 

This boy's father, the King, was a very good man, and his subjectsloved and respected him for his justness and kindness. The King lovedhis son greatly, and he loved his subjects, too. He was very anxious tohave his son grow up to be a splendid man, and a just ruler for hispeople. The King was no longer young, and he knew that it would not bemany years before his son would be left without a father's advice. Heknew, too, that the boy would succeed to the throne, and would have tosee that everyone in the kingdom was treated justly and kindly. 

One day a strange thing happened. The King was out hunting, whensuddenly a little white rabbit leaped into his arms. The rabbit seemedto think that in the King's arms it would find protection from the dogsthat were chasing it, and had nearly run it down. And the rabbit wasright; for the King stroked the trembling creature gently, and said:

"The dogs shan't get you now, poor bunny!" Then the King took therabbit home, and saw that the best care was given it. 

That night, after everyone else had gone to bed, the King sat alonethinking about Prince Darling. Suddenly a beautiful lady seemed to comeinto the room. She was dressed in pure white, and wore a wreath ofwhite roses on her golden hair. 

"You don't recognize me, do you?" she asked in a lovely, clearvoice. "I am the rabbit you rescued from the dogs in the forest thisafternoon. The rabbit was really the Fairy Truth. I took the shape of arabbit to see whether you were really as good as everyone said. Now Iknow you are, and I shall always be your friend. Isn't there somethingyou want, above everything else in the world, which I can give you torepay you for your goodness to me?"

The King was amazed by the lovely Fairy and her wonderful offer. Hethought at once that if only he could win the friendship of the FairyTruth for Prince Darling, all would be well. So he said:

"Good Fairy, above all things I should like to know that you would bemy son's friend. Will you?"

"Gladly. I will make him the richest or the handsomest or the mostpowerful Prince in the world. Which shall it be?" the Fairy inquired. 

"I would not ask any of those things, good Fairy, but I would have himgood, the best instead of the richest of princes. If he is good and hisconscience does not trouble him, I am sure he will be happy. Riches andpower and good looks, without goodness, cannot make him happy. "

"That is all true, " said the Fairy, "and I will do all I can to makePrince Darling good. He will have to do most of it himself, though. Ican only advise him, praise him when he is good, and scold him when heis bad. But I will do all I can. "

Not long after this strange happening the King died, and Prince Darlingbecame King in his father's place. The Fairy Truth remembered herpromise, and came to the palace with a present for Prince Darling. 

"This little gold ring, " she said, as she slipped it on his finger, "ismy gift to you. I promised your father that I would be your friend. This ring will help you to keep my friendship. When it pricks you, youwill know you have done something mean or unkind. It will warn you tostop doing such things. If you stop, I will be your friend; if you keepon doing wicked things, I will become your enemy. "

Before Prince Darling could say a word the Fairy vanished. 

The Prince was curious to know whether the ring really would do as theFairy said. But he never felt a single prick from the ring. Then oneday he was badly pricked. He came home from hunting in a horrid temper, and kicked his unoffending little dog, that was trying to be friendly, until it howled with pain. 

"Really, Prince Darling, that is too bad of you. " The Fairy's voicesounded quietly in his ear. "You lost your temper because things didnot go just to suit you. Even if you are a prince, the world cannotalways run just to suit your whims. What's worse, you hurt a poorcreature who loves you. I don't think that's being the sort of a princeyour father would be proud of, do you?"

The Prince was greatly embarrassed, and thrust his hands deep into hispockets to make himself seem full-grown up--so he would not cry! Hepromised to be good forever after. 

But he wasn't, and the ring pricked him often. After a time he paidhardly any attention to the ring at all. Finally he made up his mindthat a prince ought to be able to decide for himself what was right orwrong. Besides, the ring pricked so hard and so often that it made hisfinger bleed. So he threw it away entirely. 

Just after this he met Celia, the loveliest girl he had ever seen. Itseemed to him he could never be happy until he had made her his wife;and he lost no time in asking her to marry him. 

"Sire, I cannot, " said the girl. 

The Prince was indignant, for he thought any girl should be proud tohave him offer to marry her and make her Queen. 

"Sire, " Celia went on, "you are handsome and rich and powerful, I know;but the man I marry must be good. "

This speech made the Prince so angry that he ordered his men to takeCelia off to the palace as a prisoner. 

 [Illustration: "THIS LITTLE GOLD RING IS MY GIFT TO YOU"]

Now, the Prince had a foster-brother who was a very wicked man. Whenthe Prince told him about Celia, he said:

"What! a peasant girl refuse to marry the Prince! How ridiculous! Thewhole kingdom would laugh if they knew about it. "

This speech hurt the Prince's pride, and he decided to make Celiaconsent to marry him at any cost. He rushed off to find her. His menhad given him the key to the cell where they had imprisoned her. Butthe cell was quite empty. 

The Prince was terribly angry, and swore that he would put to death theperson who had helped Celia to escape. It happened that this threatgave some of the Prince's wicked friends the very chance they wanted toget rid of the Prince's tutor, an old nobleman whom they all hatedbecause he was good. 

Soon these wicked men had everyone in the court whispering: "Yes, itwas Suliman who helped Celia escape. " Some men even were found whoswore that Suliman himself had told them about it. When the Princeheard it he was still more angry. To think that his old tutor couldtreat him so! He ordered his men to arrest the supposed offender, puthim in chains, as if he were a murderer, and bring him to court. 

No sooner was the order given than there was a tremendous roar ofthunder. The ground was still shaking when the Fairy Truth appeared. 

"Until now, Prince Darling, " the fairy said sternly, "I have been verygentle with you. You have been very wicked, but I have done no morethan warn you that you were doing wrong and becoming the very sort ofman your father, the good King, wanted you NOT to be. Now I must takestronger measures, for you have paid no attention to my warnings. 

"Really you are more like the wild animals than a man and a prince. Youroar with anger like a lion. You are greedy for fine food and clothesand a good time, as a wolf is greedy for its prey. You are untrue toyour friends, like a treacherous snake. You even turn upon the kindtutor who was your father's firmest friend, and who would like to helpyou, too, if you would let him. You are as disagreeable as an angrybull, that keeps everyone out of its neighborhood, because everyoneknows it is not safe to go near. "

The Fairy's voice now roared forth in terrible tones, which made PrinceDarling shake from head to heel:

"Therefore, I condemn you to have a hideous body like your uglycharacter--part lion, part wolf, part snake, and part bull. "

The Prince put his hand to his head, because he felt as if he shouldweep at this awful sentence. He found his face covered with a lion'sshaggy beard; a bull's horns had grown out of his skull. He looked athis feet: they were those of a wolf. His body was the long slimy bodyof a snake. 

The palace had disappeared, and he stood beside a clear lake in a deepforest. He shuddered with horror when he saw his reflection in thelake. His horror turned to rage when he heard the Fairy Truth say:

"Your punishment has just begun. Your pride will be hurt still morewhen you fall into the hands of your own subjects. And that is what isgoing to happen to you. "

Just as the Fairy said the Prince fell into the hands of his subjects, and in a most humiliating way, for he was caught in a trap which hadbeen set to catch bears. Thus he was captured alive and led into thechief city of the kingdom. 

There was no mourning in the town because of the Prince's death, by athunderbolt, as they supposed. Instead, there was great rejoicing, forSuliman had been made King by the people, who were sick and tired ofthe way Prince Darling had misruled them. 

"Long live King Suliman!" they shouted. "His rule will bring us peaceand prosperity. "

In the middle of the public park sat King Suliman. Just as the Prince, in his ugly disguise came up, Suliman was saying:

"Prince Darling is not dead, as you suppose. I have accepted the crownonly until he comes back, for the Fairy Truth says he may still return, a good and just man like his father. For myself, I want nothing morethan to see Prince Darling come back a worthy ruler for this mightykingdom. "

This speech made the Prince feel very much ashamed of himself, for itshowed plainly that the Fairy was right, and that he himself hadmisjudged Suliman. 

Meantime the Prince was put in the menagerie, and people pointed himout as a most strange beast, the only one of his sort ever foundanywhere. The Prince was beginning to feel like his old, gentle self. He was even good to his keeper, although the keeper was anything butgood to him. 

One day a tiger broke through his cage and attacked the keeper. Atfirst the Prince was pleased to see the keeper in danger of his life, and mused: "When he's dead and out of the way I can easily escape. "

But the Prince's punishment had not been in vain, for suddenly he beganto think, "Well, the poor old keeper; after all I'm sorry for him!"

Then as if by magic the bars of the Prince's cage seemed to melt away, and he rushed out to rescue the keeper who had treated him so badly. The man was more terrified than ever when he saw the huge monsterloose. But imagine his amazement when the beast fell upon the tiger, instead of crushing his (the keeper's) life out, as he had feared. 

Naturally the keeper was filled with gratitude. The strange beast'skindness made him feel ashamed when he remembered how badly he hadtreated the animal. 

The keeper now tried to stroke the beast's head, by way of gratitude, when to his amazement he found himself stroking, not a wild animal, buta gentle little dog. 

The keeper picked up the dog in his arms and took him to the King, towhom he told the strange story of his rescue. The Queen liked the dog, and decided to keep him for a pet. Unluckily for Prince Darling, however, she took him to the court doctor, who decided that too muchfood would be very bad for the dog, and ordered that he be fed nothingbut bread, and very little at that! So Prince Darling prized the smallamount of bread he got very highly indeed. 

Once Prince Darling trotted off with his little loaf of bread--all hewould get to eat that day--to a brook some distance away. Strange totell, the brook was gone, and in its place was a huge house. PrinceDarling thought the persons who lived there must be fabulously rich, because the house was made of precious stones and gold, and the peoplewere dressed in the most elegant and expensive clothes. He heard music, and saw people feasting and dancing. 

Yet the people who came out of the house presented the most forlornappearance--ragged, and sick, and half starved. Prince Darling saw apoor young girl, and his heart was filled with pity. She was eatinggrass and leaves, she was so hungry. Prince Darling was hungry himself, but he thought:

"I can't be as hungry as that poor girl, and to-morrow I'll haveanother loaf. " So he gave the bread to her, and she ate it eagerly. 

Suddenly there was a great outcry, and the Prince, running in thedirection whence the noise came, saw Celia being dragged against herwill into this mysterious house. The poor little dog could do nothingto help her. Then he thought sadly: "I am very angry now with theseterrible people who treat Celia so badly; but not long ago I was myselfthreatening to have her killed!"

And the little dog, feeling quite forlorn, put its tail between itslegs, as dogs often do, and went off to watch the house where Celia wasimprisoned. 

An upper window was opened, and a girl threw out some food. The dogthought this was because the girl had a kind heart. But when it startedto eat, the one to whom it had given the bread but a short time beforecried out: "Stop! If you touch that you will die! That food came fromthe house of pleasure, and is deadly poison. "

So once again the Prince found that his good action had been rewarded. And the Fairy Truth, to show her approval, transformed the little doginto a lovely white dove. 

The dove flew straight into the house of pleasure, searching for Celia. No sign of her could it find there, as she had escaped. Therefore itdecided to fly and fly all around the world until it did get her. 

One day it came to a desert island, where no living person could beseen, nor any green tree to light upon. It searched about, and after atime found a cavern, and in it was Celia, sharing a simple meal with anold hermit. 

Prince Darling flew right up to Celia, lighted on her shoulder, andtried in all the ways a dove knows to show its affection for her. Celiain return stroked it gently, although she, of course, had no idea whoit was. Indeed, Celia seemed delighted to have found a new friend, andsaid softly:

"I am glad you have come to me, and I will care for you and love youalways. "

Celia did not expect the dove to understand what she said. The hermitunderstood, however, and asked her whether she really meant it. 

"Ah! Celia, " Prince Darling exclaimed, "with my whole heart I hope youdo mean it!" And the astonished Celia turned and saw Prince Darlinghimself standing before her. 

"Celia will not stop loving you now, Prince Darling, " said Fairy Truth, who had been disguised as the hermit all this time. "She has loved youfrom the beginning, and now that you have started on the road togoodness I know she will gladly join her fate with yours. "

Then Celia and Prince Darling threw themselves at the Fairy's feet, andthanked her a thousand times over for bringing them together againafter all their trials. 

"Come, my children, " said the Fairy, "if you had not helped me I couldnot have brought this to pass. And now, let's go back to PrinceDarling's kingdom, for I know King Suliman is waiting eagerly for achance to give back the throne. "

The Fairy had scarcely stopped speaking when they found themselves inthe royal palace. King Suliman was overjoyed to see the Prince return, and gladly yielded the throne to him again. 

When the Prince was crowned King for the second time he also put onagain the little gold ring which he had thrown away so long before. Heand Celia gave their whole hearts to the effort to govern the kingdomjustly and kindly. You will know that they succeeded very well, when Itell you that the magic ring never again pricked Prince Darling'sfinger. 

 [Illustration: "PRINCE DARLING FLEW RIGHT UP TO CELIA"]

 [Illustration: "ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED"]

RUMPELSTILTSKIN

ADAPTED FROM THE GRIMM BROTHERS

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away from here, there lived a millerwho was very proud, and a King who was exceedingly fond of money. 

The miller had a lovely daughter, and he could not say enough about herbeauty and cleverness. He used to tell all the men who brought theirwheat to his mill, to be ground into flour, of the wonderful thingsthis daughter could do "to perfection. "

One day, in a fit of boasting, the miller told the servant who hadbrought flour from the King's household, that he had a daughter whocould actually turn straw into pure gold by spinning it. 

The messenger was astonished, and could hardly wait to get back to thepalace and see the King. He knew how mad the King was about money, andwanted to be the first to tell him of the miller's extraordinarydaughter, who could make him vastly rich so easily. 

The King was tremendously excited by the story, just as his servant hadhoped. He sent at once for the miller. 

"My man, " the King said, "I hear you have a daughter who can spin strawinto gold. That's a fine story, but you can hardly expect me to believeit without seeing it. Have your daughter come here this evening. "

So the miller went home and told his daughter that the King wanted tosee her. He dared not tell her why. Naturally, the girl was pleased andflattered. She put on her best dress and braided her hair verycarefully. Then she went to the palace. 

"So you're the miller's daughter, " said the King. "Now we'll seewhether you can really spin straw into gold. "

The girl thought the King must be crazy. She felt even surer of it whenhe took her into a great room full of straw with a spinning wheel inone corner. 

A spinning wheel, you know, is an old-fashioned machine for making flaxand cotton into yarn and thread. 

"If you don't spin all this straw into gold before the night is over, you will die, " the King said, and closed the door. 

The poor little miller's daughter sat down in front of the spinningwheel and cried and cried. She didn't know how to spin straw into goldany more than you or I do, and she didn't want to die a bit. 

"Well, well, what's all this crying for?" said a tiny voice at her ear. 

So many queer things had happened that night that it did not seem atall strange to have a man appear out of nowhere. He was not exactly aman, though. He was just a tiny little Dwarf. And the miller's daughtertold him all her troubles. 

"Why, that's nothing, " the little man said; "I can spin that straw intogold myself. But I won't do it for nothing. What will you give me fordoing it?"

The girl had a necklace she was very proud of. She hated to part withit, but she gave it to the little man. He sat promptly down at thespinning wheel, and in a jiffy the golden straws were flying throughhis hands, and turning into threads of pure gold. Long before daybreakthe room was full of gold instead of straw. 

Early in the morning the King came. He could hardly wait to learnwhether the girl had done her difficult task. When he saw the roomheaped with gold he fairly danced with joy, although that was not verydignified for a King. Having one room full of gold only made him wantanother. So he took the miller's daughter to a larger room, where therewas even more straw. Once more he told her that if she wanted to liveshe must turn the straw to gold. 

The little Dwarf helped her out again. This time she had to pay himwith her ring. 

In the morning, when the King saw all the gold, he was still notsatisfied. He was getting rich so easily that he hated to stop. So hehad the miller's daughter led to the largest room in the palace, andhad it filled with straw for her to spin into gold. 

This time, however, he told the girl that if she succeeded for thethird time in her task she should become his wife. "She's only the poormiller's daughter, " he said to himself, "but look how rich she is. "

The girl was not surprised to see the Dwarf come in. He was quitedisagreeable, though, when she said she had nothing to give him thistime for spinning the gold. 

"What!" he said, "have you no reward for me? Then you must promise meyour first child after you become Queen. "

There seemed nothing to do but to promise the little fellow what heasked. "Lots of things may happen before the promise is fulfilled, " shethought. 

So the straw was spun into gold, and the King was greatly pleased. Soon after this the miller's daughter became Queen. 

 [Illustration: "THIS TIME SHE HAD TO PAY HIM WITH HER RING"]

A year passed, and the whole kingdom was celebrating the birth of a sonto the King and Queen. The Queen was so happy about her child that shequite forgot the promise she had made to the manikin who had saved herlife. But _he_ had not forgotten. 

"Give me that child, " said he one day, appearing, as was his habit, outof nowhere. The Queen was frightened, yet refused to give up her child. She offered him anything else he would name, but the child he couldnever have. 

"The child, " he answered, "is the only thing I want. " Yet he was sorryfor the Queen. 

"Well, " he said finally, "I'll let you have the child for three days. If you can tell me my name before this time is up, you can keep yourlittle one. "

The Queen sent messengers to search the country and bring her all theunusual names they could discover. 

After one day the manikin came back to find out whether his name hadbeen discovered. 

"Is your name Kasper, or Melchior, or Belshayzar?" the Queen asked ina worried manner. 

"Oh, no!" the little fellow said to each name she suggested. 

The second day the Queen tried him with some names she had made upherself. "Perhaps they call you Sheepshanks, or Cruickshanks, orSpindleshanks?" she suggested eagerly. But each time the manikin shookhis head haughtily and answered, "No!"

The poor Queen was nearly crazy with worry on the third day, and themessengers could find no more queer names. One of them, however, toldthis story:

"I was drawing to the top of a high hill, and the road where I wasriding went through a thick wood. Not a new name had I learned all day. But suddenly I came upon a hut, and before it was a big fire. A littleman was hopping madly about the fire, and singing at the top of hisvoice:

 "'Now a feast I must prepare, Of the finest royal fare. Soon the Queen must give her son To me, for I'm the lucky one. That Rumpelstiltskin is my name, She will never guess--the silly dame. '"

The Queen was so delighted she did not even mind being called silly. Soon the manikin came in. 

"Well, " he said defiantly, "I guess you don't know my name yet, do you?Remember, this is your last chance. "

"Oh, dear, " said the Queen, pretending to be very anxious. "Is itJohn?"

"No!" thundered the manikin. "Give me the child. "

"Is it, " the Queen asked softly, "by any chance Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Some witch has told you that! Some witch had told you that!" cried thelittle man; and he dashed his left foot in a rage so deep into thefloor that he was forced to lay hold of it with both hands to pull itout. Then he made the best of his way off, while everybody laughed athim for having had all his trouble for nothing. 

 [Illustration: "SOME WITCH HAS TOLD YOU THAT!"]

RAPUNZEL, OR THE FAIR MAID WITH GOLDEN HAIR

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

There were once a man and a woman who wished very much to have a littlechild. Now, these people had a small window in their cottage whichlooked out into a beautiful garden full of the most lovely flowers andvegetables. There was a high wall round it, but even had there not beenno one would have ventured to enter the garden, because it belonged toa sorceress, whose power was so great that every one feared her. 

One day the woman stood at the window looking into the garden, and shesaw a bed which was planted full of most beautiful lettuces. As shelooked at them she began to wish she had some to eat, but she could notask for them. 

Day after day her wish for these lettuces grew stronger, and theknowledge that she could not get them so worried her that at lastshe became so pale and thin that her husband was quite alarmed. 

"What is the matter with you, dear wife?" he asked one day. 

"Ah!" she said, "if I do not have some of that nice lettuce which growsin the garden behind our house, I feel that I shall die. "

The husband, who loved his wife dearly, said to himself: "Rather thanmy wife should die, I will get some of this lettuce for her, cost whatit may. "

So in the evening twilight he climbed over the wall into the garden ofthe Witch, hastily gathered a handful of the lettuces, and broughtthem to his wife. She made a salad, and ate it with great eagerness. 

 [Illustration: THE FAIR MAIDEN WITH GOLDEN HAIR FROM A DRAWING BY EDITH W. YAFFEE]

It pleased her so much and tasted so good that, after two or three dayshad passed, she gave her husband no rest till he promised to get hersome more. So again in the evening twilight he climbed the wall, but ashe slid down into the garden on the other side he was terribly alarmedat seeing the Witch standing near him. 

"How came you here?" she said with a fierce look. "You have climbedover the wall into my garden like a thief and stolen my lettuces; youshall pay dearly for this!"

"Ah!" replied the poor man, "let me entreat for mercy; I have onlytaken it in a case of extreme need. My wife has seen your lettuces fromher window, and she wished for them so much that she said she shoulddie if she could not have some of them to eat. "

Then the Witch's anger cooled a little, and she replied: "If what youtell me is true, then I will give you full permission to take as manylettuces as you like, on one condition: you must give up to me thechild which your wife may bring into the world. I will be very kind toit, and be as careful of it as a mother could be. "

The husband in his alarm promised everything the Witch asked, and tookaway with him as many lettuces as his wife wanted. 

Not many weeks after this the wife became the mother of a beautifullittle girl, and in a short time the Witch appeared and claimed heraccording to the husband's promise. Thus they were obliged to give uptheir child, which she took away with her directly, and gave her thename of Letitia, but she was always called Lettice, after the name ofthe vegetable which grew in the garden. 

Lettice was the most beautiful child under the sun, and as soon asshe reached the age of twelve years the Witch locked her up in a towerthat stood in a forest, and this tower had no steps, nor any entrance, excepting a little window. When the Witch, wished to visit Lettice, shewould place herself under this window and sing:

 "Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair, That I may climb without a stair. "

Lettice had the most long and beautiful hair like spun-gold; and whenshe heard the voice of the Witch she would unbind her golden locks andlet them fall loose over the window sill, from which they hung down tosuch a length that the Witch could draw herself up by them into thetower. 

Two years passed in this manner, when it happened one day that theKing's son rode through the forest. While passing near the tower heheard such a lovely song that he could not help stopping to listen. Itwas Lettice, who tried to lighten her solitude by the sound of her ownsweet voice. 

The King's son was very eager to obtain a glimpse of the singer, but hesought in vain for a door to the tower; there was not one to be found. 

So he rode home, but the song had made such an impression on his heartthat he went daily into the forest to listen. Once, while he stoodbehind a tree, he saw the Witch approach the tower, and heard her say:

 "Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair, That I may climb without a stair. "

Presently he saw a quantity of long golden hair hanging down low overthe window sill, and the Witch climbing up by it. 

"Oh!" said the young Prince, "if that is the ladder on which personscan mount and enter, I will take the first opportunity of trying myluck that way. "

So on the following day, as it began to grow dark, he placed himselfunder the window, and cried:

 "Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair, That I may climb without a stair. "

Immediately the hair fell over the window, and the young Prince quicklyclimbed up and entered the room where the young maiden lived. 

Lettice was dreadfully frightened at seeing a strange man come into theroom through the window; but the King's son looked at her with suchfriendly eyes, and began to converse with her so kindly, that she soonlost all fear. 

He told her that he had heard her singing, and that her song hadexcited such a deep emotion in his heart that he could not rest till hehad seen her. On hearing this Lettice ceased to fear him, and theytalked together for some time, till at length the Prince asked her ifshe would take him for a husband. For a time she hesitated, althoughshe saw that he was young and handsome, and he had told her he was aprince. 

At last she said to herself: "He will certainly love me better than oldMother Grethel does. " So she placed her hand in his, and said: "I wouldwillingly go with you and be your wife, but I do not know in the leasthow to get away from this place. Unless, " she added, after a pause, "you will bring me every day some strong silk cord; then I will weavea ladder of it, and when it is finished I will descend upon it, and youshall take me away on your horse. "

The Prince readily agreed to this, and promised to come and see herevery evening till the ladder was finished, for the old Witch alwayscame in the daytime. 

The Witch had never seen the Prince; she knew nothing of his visitstill one day Lettice said innocently: "I shall not have such a heavyweight as you to draw up much longer, Mother Grethel, for the King'sson is coming very soon to fetch me away. "

"You wicked child!" cried the Witch; "what do I hear you say? I thoughtI had hidden you from all the world, and now you have betrayed me!" Inher wrath she caught hold of Lettice's beautiful hair, and struck herseveral times with her left hand. Then she seized a pair of scissorsand cut Lettice's hair, while the beautiful locks, glistening likegold, fell to the ground. And she was so hard-hearted after this thatshe dragged poor Lettice out into the forest, to a wild and desertplace, and left her there in sorrow and great distress. 

On the same day on which the poor maiden had been exiled the Witch tiedthe locks of hair which she had cut off poor Lettice's golden head intoa kind of tail, and hung it over the window sill. 

In the evening the Prince came and cried:

 "Lettice, Lettice, let down your hair, That I may climb without a stair. "

Then the Witch let the hair down, and the King's son climbed up; but atthe open window he found not his dear Lettice, but a wicked witch wholooked at him with cruel and malicious eyes. 

"Ah!" she cried with a sneer, "you are come to fetch your loving bride, I suppose; but the beautiful bird has flown from the nest, and willnever sing any more. The cat has fetched it away, and she intends alsoto scratch your eyes out. To thee is Lettice lost; thou wilt neverbehold her again!"

The Prince felt almost out of his mind with grief as he heard this, andin his despair he sprang out of the tower window and fell among thethorns and brambles beneath. He certainly escaped with his life, butthe thorns stuck into his eyes and blinded them. After this he wanderedabout the wood for days, eating only wild roots and berries, and didnothing but lament and weep for the loss of his beloved bride. 

So wandered he for a whole year in misery, till at last he came uponthe desert place where Lettice had been banished and lived in hersorrow. 

As he drew near he heard a voice which he seemed to recognize, andadvancing toward the sound came within sight of Lettice, who recognizedhim at once, with tears. Two of her tears fell on his eyes, and sohealed and cleared them of the injury done by the thorns that he couldsoon see as well as ever. Then he traveled with her to his kingdom, andshe became his wife, and the remainder of their days were spent inhappiness and content. 

SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

There was once a poor Widow, who lived alone in her hut with her twochildren, who were called Snow-White and Rose-Red, because they werelike the flowers which bloomed on two rose-bushes which grew before thecottage. But they were two as pious, good, industrious, and amiablechildren as any that were in the world, only Snow-White was more quietand gentle than Rose-Red. For Rose-Red would run and jump about themeadows, seeking flowers, and catching butterflies, while Snow-Whitesat at home helping her Mother to keep house, or reading to her, ifthere were nothing else to do. 

The two children loved one another dearly, and always walkedhand-in-hand when they went out together; and ever when they talked ofit they agreed that they would never separate from each other, and thatwhatever one had the other should share. Often they ran deep into theforest and gathered wild berries; but no beast ever harmed them. Forthe hare would eat cauliflowers out of their hands, the fawn wouldgraze at their side, the goats would frisk about them in play, and thebirds remained perched on the boughs singing as if nobody were near. 

No accidents ever befell them; and if they stayed late in the forest, and night came upon them, they used to lie down on the moss and sleeptill morning; and because their Mother knew they would do so, she feltno concern about them. One time when they had thus passed the night inthe forest, and the dawn of morning awoke them, they saw a beautifulChild dressed in shining white sitting near their couch. She got upand looked at them kindly, but without saying anything went into theforest; and when the children looked round they saw that where theyhad slept was close to the edge of a pit, into which they would havecertainly fallen had they walked a couple of steps further in the dark. 

Their Mother told them the figure they had seen was, doubtless, thegood angel who watches over children. 

Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their Mother's cottage so clean that itwas a pleasure to enter it. Every morning in the summertime Rose-Redwould first put the house in order, and then gather a nosegay for herMother, in which she always placed a bud from each rose-tree. Everywinter's morning Snow-White would light the fire and put the kettle onto boil, and, although the kettle was made of copper, it yet shone likegold, because it was scoured so well. In the evenings, when the flakesof snow were falling, the Mother would say, "Go, Snow-White, and boltthe door;" and then they used to sit down on the hearth, and the Motherwould put on her spectacles and read out of a great book while herchildren sat spinning. By their side, too, lay a little lamb, and on aperch behind them a little white dove reposed with her head tuckedunder her wing. 

One evening when they were thus sitting comfortably together, therecame a knock at the door, as if somebody wished to come in. "Makehaste, Rose-Red, " cried her Mother; "make haste and open the door;perhaps there is some traveler outside who needs shelter. "

So Rose-Red went and drew the bolt and opened the door, expecting tosee some poor man outside; but instead, a great fat bear poked hisblack head in. Rose-Red shrieked out and ran back, the little lambbleated, the dove fluttered on her perch, and Snow-White hid herselfbehind her Mother's bed. The Bear, however, began to speak, and said, "Be not afraid, I will do you no harm; but I am half frozen, and wishto come in and warm myself. "

"Poor Bear!" cried the Mother; "come in and lie down before the fire;but take care you do not burn your skin;" and then she continued, "Comehere, Rose-Red and Snow-White, the Bear will not harm you, he meanshonorably. " So they both came back, and by degrees the lamb too and thedove overcame their fears and welcomed the rough visitor. 

"You children!" said the Bear, before he entered, "come and knock thesnow off my coat. " And they fetched their brooms and swept him clean. Then he stretched himself before the fire and grumbled out hissatisfaction, and in a little while the children became familiar enoughto play tricks with the unwieldy animal. They pulled his long shaggyskin, set their feet upon his back and rolled him to and fro, and evenventured to beat him with a hazel-stick, laughing when he grumbled. TheBear bore all their tricks good-temperedly, and if they hit too hard hecried out, --

 "Leave me my life, you children, Snow-White and Rose-Red, Or you'll never wed. "

When bedtime came and the others were gone, the Mother said to theBear, "You may sleep here on the hearth if you like, and then you willbe safely protected from the cold and bad weather. "

As soon as day broke the two children let the Bear out again, and hetrotted away over the snow, and ever afterward he came every evening ata certain hour. He would lie down on the hearth and allow the childrento play with him as much as they liked, till by degrees they became soaccustomed to him that the door was left unbolted till their blackfriend arrived. 

But as soon as spring returned, and everything out of doors was greenagain, the Bear one morning told Snow-White that he must leave her, andcould not return during the whole summer. "Where are you going, then, dear Bear?" asked Snow-White. "I am obliged to go into the forest andguard my treasures from the evil Dwarfs; for in winter, when the groundis hard, they are obliged to keep in their holes and cannot workthrough; but now, since the sun has thawed the earth and warmed it, theDwarfs pierce through and steal all they can find; and what has oncepassed into their hands, and gets concealed by them in their caves, isnot easily brought to light. "

Snow-White, however, was very sad at the departure of the Bear, andopened the door so hesitatingly, that when he pressed through it heleft behind on the latch a piece of his hairy coat; and through thehole which was made in his coat Snow-White fancied she saw theglittering of gold, but she was not quite certain of it. The Bear, however, ran hastily away, and was soon hidden behind the trees. 

Some time afterward the Mother sent the children into the woods togather sticks, and while doing so they came to a tree which was lyingacross the path, on the trunk of which something kept bobbing up anddown from the grass, and they could not imagine what it was. Whenthey came nearer they saw a Dwarf, with an old wrinkled face and asnow-white beard a yard long. The end of this beard was fixed in asplit of the tree, and the little man kept jumping about like a dogtied by a chain, for he did not know how to free himself. He glared atthe Maidens with his red, fiery eyes, and exclaimed, "Why do you standthere? Are you going to pass without offering me any assistance?"

"What have you done, little man?" asked Rose-Red. 

"You stupid, gazing goose!" exclaimed he, "I wanted to have split thetree in order to get a little wood for my kitchen, for the little foodwhich we use is soon burnt up with great faggots, not like what yourough greedy people devour! I had driven the wedge in properly, andeverything was going on well, when the smooth wood flew upward, and thetree closed so suddenly together, that I could not draw my beautifulbeard out; and here it sticks, and I cannot get away. There, don'tlaugh, you milk-faced things! Are you dumbfounded?"

The children took all the pains they could to pull the Dwarf's beardout, but without success. "I will run and fetch some help, " criedRose-Red at length. 

"Crack-brained sheep's-head that you are!" snarled the Dwarf; "what areyou going to call other people for? You are two too many now for me;can you think of nothing else?"

"Don't be impatient, " replied Snow-White: "I have thought ofsomething;" and pulling her scissors out of her pocket, she cut off theend of the beard. As soon as the Dwarf found himself at liberty hesnatched up his sack, which laid between the roots of the tree filledwith gold, and, throwing it over his shoulder, marched off, grumbling, and groaning, and crying "Stupid people! to cut off a piece of mybeautiful beard. Plague take you!" And away he went without oncelooking at the children. 

Some time afterward Snow-White and Rose-Red went a-fishing and as theyneared the pond they saw something like a great locust hopping abouton the bank, as if going to jump into the water. They ran up andrecognized the Dwarf; "What are you after?" asked Rose-Red; "you willfall into the water. "

"I am not quite such a simpleton as that, " replied the Dwarf; "but doyou not see this fish will pull me in?"

The little man had been sitting there angling, and, unfortunately, thewind had entangled his beard with the fishing-line; and so when a greatfish bit at the bait, the strength of the weak little fellow was notable to draw it out, and the fish had the best of the struggle. TheDwarf held on by the reeds and rushes which grew near, but to nopurpose, for the fish pulled him where it liked, and he must soon havebeen drawn into the pond. Luckily just then the two Maidens arrived, and tried to release the beard of the Dwarf from the fishing-line, butboth were too closely entangled for it to be done. So the Maiden pulledout her scissors again and cut off another piece of the beard. 

When the Dwarf saw this done he was in a great rage, and exclaimed, "You donkey! that is the way to disfigure my face. Was it not enough tocut it once, but you must now take away the best part of my fine beard?I dare not show myself again now to my own people. I wish you had runthe soles off your boots before you had come here!" So saying he tookup a bag of pearls, which lay among the rushes, and, without speakinganother word, slipped off and disappeared behind a stone. 

Not many days after this adventure, it chanced that the Mother sent thetwo Maidens to the next town to buy thread, needles and pins, laces, and ribbons. Their road passed over a common, on which, here and there, great pieces of rock were lying about. Just over their heads they saw agreat bird flying round and round, and every now and then droppinglower and lower, till at last it flew down behind a rock. Immediatelyafterward they heard a piercing shriek, and, running up, they saw withaffright that the eagle had caught their old acquaintance, the Dwarf, and was trying to carry him off. The compassionate children thereuponlaid hold of the little man, and held him fast till the bird gave upthe struggle and flew off. 

As soon, then, as the Dwarf had recovered from his fright, he exclaimedin his squeaking voice:

"Could you not hold me more gently? You have seized my fine brown coatin such a manner that it is all torn and full of holes, meddling andinterfering rubbish that you are!" With these words he shouldered a bagfilled with precious stones, and slipped away to his cave among therocks. 

The Maidens were now accustomed to his ingratitude, and so they walkedon to the town and transacted their business there. Coming home theyreturned over the same common, and unawares walked up to a certainclean spot, on which the Dwarf had shaken out his bag of preciousstones, thinking nobody was near. The sun was shining and the brightstones glittered in its beams, and displayed such a variety of colorsthat the two Maidens stopped to admire them. 

 [Illustration: THE TWO MAIDENS ARRIVED AND TRIED TO RELEASE THE BEARD OF THE DWARF]

"What are you standing there gaping for?" asked the Dwarf, while hisface grew as red as copper with rage: he was continuing to abuse thepoor Maidens, when a loud roaring noise was heard, and presently agreat black Bear came rolling out of the forest. The Dwarf jumped upterrified, but he could not gain his retreat before the Bear overtookhim. Thereupon he cried out, "Spare me, my dear Lord Bear! I will giveyou all my treasures. See these beautiful precious stones which liehere; only give me my life; for what have you to fear from a littlefellow like me? You could not touch me with your big teeth. There aretwo wicked girls, take them; they would make nice morsels; as fat asyoung quails; eat them, for heaven's sake!"

The Bear, however, without troubling himself to speak, gave thebad-hearted Dwarf a single blow with his paw, and he never stirredafter. 

The Maidens were then going to run away, but the Bear called afterthem, "Snow-White and Rose-Red, fear not! Wait a bit, and I willaccompany you. " They recognized his voice and stopped; and when theBear came, his rough coat suddenly fell off, and he stood up a tallman, dressed entirely in gold. "I am a King's son, " he said, "and wascondemned by the wicked Dwarf, who stole all my treasures, to wanderabout in this forest in the form of a bear till his death released me. "

Then they went home, and Snow-White was married to the Prince, andRose-Red to his brother, with whom they shared the immense treasurewhich the Dwarf had collected. The old Mother also lived for many yearshappily with her two children; and the rose-trees which had stoodbefore the cottage were planted now before the palace, and producedevery year beautiful red and white roses. 

HANSEL AND GRETHEL

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Once upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor wood-cutter, withhis wife and two children by his former marriage, a little boy calledHansel, and a girl named Grethel. He had little enough to break orbite; and once, when there was a great famine in the land, he could notprocure even his daily bread; and as he lay thinking in his bed oneevening, rolling about for trouble, he sighed, and said to his wife, "What will become of us? How can we feed our children, when we have nomore than we can eat ourselves?"

"Know, then, my husband, " answered she, "we will lead them away, quiteearly in the morning, into the thickest part of the wood, and theremake them a fire, and give them each a little piece of bread; then wewill go to our work, and leave them alone, so they will not find theway home again, and we shall be freed from them. " "No, wife, " repliedhe, "that I can never do;, how can you bring your heart to leave mychildren all alone in the wood; for the wild beasts will soon come andtear them to pieces?"

"Oh, you simpleton!" said she, "then we must all four die of hunger;you had better plane the coffins for us. " But she left him no peacetill he consented, saying, "Ah, but I shall regret the poor children. "

The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very hunger, andso they overheard what the stepmother said to their father. Grethelwept bitterly, and said to Hansel, "What will become of us?" "Be quiet, Grethel, " said he; "do not cry--I will soon help you. " And as soon astheir parents had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his coat, and, unbarring the back door, slipped out. The moon shone brightly, and thewhite pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces, theyglittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many into hispocket as it would hold; and then going back he said to Grethel, "Becomforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God will not forsake us. "And so saying, he went to bed again. 

The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and awoke the twochildren. "Get up, you lazy things; we are going into the forest tochop wood. " Then she gave them each a piece of bread, saying, "There issomething for your dinner; do not eat it before the time, for you willget nothing else. " Grethel took the bread in her apron, for Hansel'spocket was full of pebbles; and so they all set out upon their way. When they had gone a little distance, Hansel stood still, and peepedback at the house; and this he repeated several times, till his fathersaid, "Hansel, what are you peeping at, and why do you lag behind? Takecare, and remember your legs. "

"Ah, father, " said Hansel, "I am looking at my white cat sitting uponthe roof of the house, and trying to say good-by. " "You simpleton!"said the wife, "that is not a cat; it is only the sun shining on thewhite chimney. " But in reality Hansel was not looking at a cat; butevery time he stopped, he dropped a pebble out of his pocket upon thepath. 

 [Illustration: GRETHEL AND THE WITCH FROM A DRAWING BY MALCOLM PATTERSON]

When they came to the middle of the wood, the father told the childrento collect wood, and he would make them a fire, so that they should notbe cold. So Hansel and Grethel gathered together quite a littlemountain of twigs. Then they set fire to them; and as the flame burntup high, the wife said, "Now, you children, lie down near the fire, andrest yourselves, whilst we go into the forest and chop wood; when weare ready, I will come and call you. "

Hansel and Grethel sat down by the fire, and when it was noon, each atethe piece of bread; and because they could hear the blows of an axethey thought their father was near; but it was not an axe, but a branchwhich he had bound to a withered tree, so as to be blown to and fro bythe wind. They waited so long, that at last their eyes closed fromweariness, and they fell fast asleep. When they awoke, it was quitedark, and Grethel began to cry, "How shall we get out of the wood?" ButHansel tried to comfort her by saying, "Wait a little while till themoon rises, and then we will quickly find the way. " The moon soon shoneforth, and Hansel, taking his sister's hand, followed the pebbles, which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, and showed them thepath. All night long they walked on, and as day broke they came totheir father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the wifeopened it, and saw Hansel and Grethel, she exclaimed, "You wickedchildren! why did you sleep so long in the wood? We thought you werenever coming home again. " But their father was very glad, for it hadgrieved his heart to leave them all alone. 

Not long afterward there was again great scarcity in every corner ofthe land; and one night the children overheard their mother saying totheir father, "Everything is again consumed; we have only half a loafleft, and then the song is ended: the children must be sent away. Wewill take them deeper into the wood, so that they may not find the wayout again: it is the only means of escape for us. "

But her husband felt heavy at heart, and thought, "It were better toshare the last crust with the children. " His wife, however, wouldlisten to nothing that he said, and scolded and reproached him withoutend. 

He who says A must say B too; and he who consents the first time mustalso the second. 

The children, however, had heard the conversation as they lay awake, and as soon as the old people went to sleep Hansel got up, intending topick up some pebbles as before; but the wife had locked the door, sothat he could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted Grethel, saying, "Do not cry; sleep in quiet; the good God will not forsake us. "

Early in the morning the stepmother came and pulled them out of bed, and gave them each a slice of bread, which was still smaller than theformer piece. On the way, Hansel broke his in his pocket, and, stoopingevery now and then, dropped a crumb upon the path. "Hansel, why do youstop and look about?" said the father, "keep in the path. " "I amlooking at my little dove, " answered Hansel, "nodding a good-by to me. ""Simpleton!" said the wife, "that is no dove, but only the sun shiningon the chimney. " But Hansel still kept dropping crumbs as he wentalong. 

The mother led the children deep into the wood, where they had neverbeen before, and there making an immense fire, she said to them, "Sitdown here and rest, and when you feel tired you can sleep for a littlewhile. We are going into the forest to hew wood, and in the evening, when we are ready, we will come and fetch you. "

When noon came Grethel shared her bread with Hansel, who had strewn hison the path. Then they went to sleep; but the evening arrived and noone came to visit the poor children, and in the dark night they awoke, and Hansel comforted his sister by saying, "Only wait, Grethel, tillthe moon comes out, then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I havedropped, and they will show us the way home. " The moon shone and theygot up, but they could not see any crumbs, for the thousands of birdswhich had been flying about in the woods and fields had picked them allup. Hansel kept saying to Grethel, "We will soon find the way;" butthey did not, and they walked the whole night long and the next day, but still they did not come out of the wood; and they got so hungry, for they had nothing to eat but the berries which they found upon thebushes. Soon they got so tired that they could not drag themselvesalong, so they lay down under a tree and went to sleep. 

It was now the third morning since they had left their father's house, and they still walked on; but they only got deeper and deeper into thewood, and Hansel saw that if help did not come very soon they would dieof hunger. As soon as it was noon they saw a beautiful snow-white birdsitting upon a bough, which sang so sweetly that they stood still andlistened to it. It soon left off, and spreading its wings flew off; andthey followed it until it arrived at a cottage, upon the roof of whichit perched; and when they went close up to it they saw that the cottagewas made of bread and cakes, and the window-panes were of clear sugar. 

"We will go in here, " said Hansel, "and have a glorious feast. I willeat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. Will they not besweet?" So Hansel reached up and broke a piece off the roof, in orderto see how it tasted; while Grethel stepped up to the window and beganto bite it. Then a sweet voice called out in the room, "Tip-tap, tip-tap, who raps at my door?" and the children answered, "The wind, the wind, the child of heaven;" and they went on eating withoutinterruption. Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, and so he toreoff a great piece; while Grethel broke a large round pane out of thewindow, and sat down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, anda very old woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Hansel and Grethelwere so frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands; butthe old woman, nodding her head, said "Ah, you dear children, what hasbrought you here? Come in and stop with me, and no harm shall befallyou;" and so saying she led them into her cottage. A good meal of milkand pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts was spread on the table, andin the back room were two nice little beds, covered with white, whereHansel and Grethel laid themselves down, and thought themselves inheaven. The old woman behaved very kindly to them, but in reality shewas a wicked witch who waylaid children and built the breadhouse inorder to entice them in; but as soon as they were in her power shekilled them, cooked and ate them, and made a great festival of the day. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see very far; but they have a finesense of smelling, like wild beasts, so that they know when childrenapproach them. When Hansel and Grethel came near the witch's house shelaughed wickedly, saying, "Here come two who shall not escape me. " Andearly in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, and sawhow lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red cheeks; and shemumbled to herself, "That will be a good bite. " Then she took upHansel with her rough hand, and shut him up in a little cage with alattice-door; and although he screamed loudly it was of no use. Grethelcame next, and, shaking her till she awoke, she said, "Get up, you lazything, and fetch some water to cook something good for your brother, who must remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough Ishall eat him. " Grethel began to cry, but it was all useless, for theold witch made her do as she wished. So a nice meal was cooked forHansel, but Grethel got nothing else but a crab's claw. 

Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, "Hansel, stretchout your finger that I may feel whether you are getting fat. " ButHansel used to stretch out a bone, and the old woman, having very badsight, thought it was his finger, and wondered very much that he didnot get more fat. When four weeks had passed, and Hansel still keptquite lean, she lost all her patience, and would not wait any longer. "Grethel, " she called out in a passion, "get some water quickly; beHansel fat or lean, this morning I will kill and cook him. " Oh, how thepoor little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch the water, andfast the tears ran down her cheeks! "Dear good God, help us now!" sheexclaimed. "Had we only been eaten by the wild beasts in the wood, thenwe should have died together. " But the old witch called out, "Leave offthat noise; it will not help you a bit. "

So early in the morning Grethel was forced to go out and fill thekettle, and make a fire. "First, we will bake, however, " said the oldwoman; "I have already heated the oven and kneaded the dough;" and sosaying, she pushed poor Grethel up to the oven, out of which the flameswere burning fiercely. "Creep in, " said the witch, "and see if it ishot enough, and then we will put in the bread;" but she intended whenGrethel got in to shut up the oven and let her bake, so that she mighteat her as well as Hansel. Grethel perceived what her thoughts were, and said, "I do not know how to do it; how shall I get in?" "You stupidgoose, " said she, "the opening is big enough. See, I could even get inmyself!" and she got up, and put her head into the oven. Then Grethelgave her a push, so that she fell right in, and then shutting the irondoor she bolted it. Oh! how horribly she howled; but Grethel ran away, and left the ungodly witch to burn to ashes. 

 [Illustration: "SHE LED THEM INTO HER COTTAGE"]

Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening his door, called out, "Hansel, weare saved; the old witch is dead. " So he sprang out, like a bird out ofhis cage when the door is opened; and they were so glad that they fellupon each other's neck, and kissed each other over and over again. Andnow, as there was nothing to fear, they went into the witch's house, where in every corner were caskets full of pearls and precious stones. "These are better than pebbles, " said Hansel, putting as many into hispocket as it would hold; while Grethel thought, "I will take some hometoo, " and filled her apron full. "We must be off now, " said Hansel, "and get out of this enchanted forest;" but when they had walked fortwo hours they came to a large piece of water. "We cannot get over, "said Hansel; "I can see no bridge at all. " "And there is no boateither, " said Grethel, "but there swims a white duck, I will ask herto help us over;" and she sang:

 "Little Duck, good little duck, Grethel and Hansel, here we stand; There is neither stile nor bridge, Take us on your back to land. "

So the Duck came to them, and Hansel sat himself on, and bade hissister sit behind him. "No, " answered Grethel, "that will be too muchfor the Duck, she shall take us over one at a time. " This the goodlittle bird did, and when both were happily arrived on the other side, and had gone a little way, they came to a well-known wood, which theyknew the better every step they went, and at last they perceived theirfather's house. Then they began to run, and, bursting into the house, they fell on their father's neck. He had not had one happy hour sincehe had left the children in the forest: and his wife was dead. Grethelshook her apron, and the pearls and precious stones rolled out upon thefloor, and Hansel threw down one handful after the other out of hispocket. Then all their sorrows were ended, and they lived in happiness. 

My tale is done. There runs a mouse; whoever catches her may make agreat, great cap out of her fur. 

 [Illustration: Reproduced by special permission of the Artist TWINS FROM A PAINTING BY JOSEPH T. PEARSON, JR. ]

 [Illustration: STORIES BY FAVORITE AMERICAN WRITERS]

THE FLAG-BEARER

BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY

The primary class had a very beautiful American flag, and some childwas going to carry it from the schoolroom across the park and into theTown Hall on the holiday. All the primary children would march afterthe flag, and they were going to sing "America" and "The Star SpangledBanner. " It would be a wonderful day and each child wanted to carry theflag. 

No one was sure who would be chosen as flag-bearer, but their teacherhad said the week before: "It will be the child who loves his countrythe most who will carry the Stars and Stripes. Try and do something foryour country during the week. "

So the children had been very busy ever since doing all sorts of thingsthat would show how they loved their country. 

Marjory had been knitting for soldiers. Her grandmother had given hera pair of pretty yellow needles and a ball of soft gray yarn and hadstarted a scarf. But the stitches would drop, and there was stillenough snow for sliding on the hill back of Marjory's house. Herknitting was not much further along on Saturday than on Monday. 

"I will show how much I love my country, " Hubert said, and he asked hismother to take the gilt buttons from his great-grandfather's soldiercoat that hung in the attic and sew them on his reefer. Then he showedthe bright buttons to all the other children, and they thought thatHubert looked very fine indeed. 

"I shall wear them when I carry the flag next week, " Hubert told them. 

But the children thought that perhaps Roger would be chosen asflag-bearer because he bought such a large flag with the money in hisbank, and put it up on the flagpole in his front yard. Roger's fatherhelped him raise the flag on a rope so that he could pull it down atnight, but once the Stars and Stripes were flying Roger forgot allabout them. His flag stayed out in the wind and sleet, and its brightcolors faded and the stripes were torn. 

After all, the children decided, it would be Edward who would carry theflag. Edward had a dog named Trusty, and he decided to train him to bea Red Cross dog. He put a white band with a red cross on it aroundTrusty and harnessed him to a little express wagon to carry bundles. Trusty had never worn a harness in his life, or been fastened toanything. He tried to get away from the wagon, but Edward strapped theharness more tightly. The straps hurt Trusty, and it hurt his feelingsto be made to drag the cart; but Edward drove him to and from thedrug-store and the grocery and the butcher's, carrying the parcels thatEdward had always brought alone before. 

The other children, too, all tried to do unusual things to winthemselves the place of flag-bearer. They played their drums in thestreet and made soldier caps and wooden swords and drilled. The littlegirls dressed up and played army nurse with their dolls. The boysbought toy soldiers and horns at the toy shop. There was a great dealof noise everywhere. 

Then it was the holiday, and everyone was greatly excited over whatwas going to happen. Whoever had a red ribbon, or a blue necktie, or ared-white-and-blue badge felt very proud indeed to wear it. Every childsat as still as a mouse as the teacher spoke to them. 

"Marjory showed me five rows that she had knitted for a soldier when Iwent to her house a few days ago, " she said. "I wonder how many rowsshe has finished now?"

"Only five, " Marjory said softly. 

Hubert touched the buttons on his reefer and sat up very straight inhis place. 

"I am wearing my great-grandfather's soldier buttons, " he said. 

"That ought to make you feel as brave as he was, when he earned theright to wear them in battle, " the teacher said; and Hubert suddenlythought that gilt buttons had not made him into a soldier at all. 

The other children began to think, too, as they looked up at the Starsand Stripes at the end of the room. Edward remembered how the harnesshad hurt Trusty, and the boy with the drum remembered how he hadawakened the baby from her nap. Roger thought of his torn flag, flappingin the wind on the top of the flagpole. No one said anything until theteacher looked at the end of the class and smiled, and said:

"Well, Peter!"

Peter smiled back, and tried to cover up the holes in his jacketsleeves, and tucked his old shoes under the seat. Peter's father hadgone to be a soldier, and there were his mother, and the two babies, and his grandfather who was blind, at home. 

"What have you been doing all the week, Peter?" the teacher asked. 

"Tending the babies so that mother could go to the factory and sew thesoldiers' uniforms, " Peter said. "And leading grandfather out for awalk when it was a sunny day. "

"Peter's got a little flag hanging out of the window, " one of thechildren said, "and he's so careful of it. He takes it in every nightand puts it out again in the morning. "

"He saluted the flag and took off his hat to it when the parade went bythe other day, " said another child. Everyone loved merry, ragged Peter, who could play so gayly when he had time for a game. 

Just then they heard the band outside. It was playing, "The Red, Whiteand Blue, " the music to which the children were to march with the flag. 

"Who shall be our flag-bearer?" the teacher asked. 

The children knew now. They were quite sure. 

"Peter!" they said. 

So Peter carried the Stars and Stripes across the park and into theTown Hall, with all the primary children marching like soldiers behind. The wind blew it around him like a cloak to cover up the holes in hisjacket sleeves and his old shoes. Wherever he looked he could see thecolors; the sky was as blue as the field in the flag, a few snow starslay on the ground and the first robin redbreast sang on a branch overhis head. And the children following Peter knew what the colors toldthem to do for their country--to be brave, and good, and true at home. 

JOHNNY CHUCK FINDS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD[A]

BY THORNTON W. BURGESS

Old Mother West Wind had stopped to talk with the Slender Fir Tree. 

"I've just come across the Green Meadows, " said Old Mother West Wind, "and there I saw the Best Thing in the World. "

Striped Chipmunk was sitting under the Slender Fir Tree, and hecouldn't help hearing what Old Mother West Wind said. "The Best Thingin the World--now what can that be?" thought Striped Chipmunk. "Why, itmust be heaps and heaps of nuts and acorns! I'll go and find it. "

So Striped Chipmunk started down the Lone Little Path through the woodas fast as he could run. Pretty soon he met Peter Rabbit. 

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Striped Chipmunk?" asked PeterRabbit. 

"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World, "replied Striped Chipmunk, and ran faster. 

"The Best Thing in the World, " said Peter Rabbit, "why, that must be agreat pile of carrots and cabbage! I think I'll go and find it. "

So Peter Rabbit started down the Lone Little Path through the wood asfast as he could go after Striped Chipmunk. 

As they passed the great hollow tree Bobby Coon put his head out. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Bobby Coon. 

"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!"shouted Striped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, and both began to runfaster. 

"The Best Thing in the World, " said Bobby Coon to himself; "why, thatmust be a whole field of sweet milky corn. I think I'll go and findit. "

So Bobby Coon climbed down out of the great hollow tree and starteddown the Lone Little Path through the wood as fast as he could go afterStriped Chipmunk and Peter Rabbit, for there is nothing that BobbyCoon likes to eat so well as sweet milky corn. 

At the edge of the wood they met Jimmy Skunk. 

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Jimmy Skunk. 

"Down in the Green Meadows to find the Best Thing in the World!"shouted Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon. Then theyall tried to run faster. 

"The Best Thing in the World, " said Jimmy Skunk. "Why, that must bepacks and packs of beetles!" And for once in his life Jimmy Skunk beganto hurry down the Lone Little Path after Striped Chipmunk, and PeterRabbit, and Bobby Coon. 

They were all running so fast that they didn't see Reddy Fox until hejumped out of the long grass and asked:

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"To find the Best Thing in the World!" shouted Striped Chipmunk, andPeter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, and each did his best torun faster. 

"The Best Thing in the World, " said Reddy Fox to himself, "why, thatmust be a whole pen full of tender young chickens, and I must havethem. "

So away went Reddy Fox as fast as he could run down the Lone LittlePath after Striped Chipmunk, Peter Rabbit, Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk. 

By-and-by they all came to the house of Johnny Chuck. 

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Johnny Chuck. 

"To find the Best Thing in the World, " shouted Striped Chipmunk, andPeter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox. 

"The Best Thing in the World, " said Johnny Chuck. "Why, I don't know ofanything better than my own little home, and the warm sunshine, and thebeautiful blue sky. "

So Johnny Chuck stayed at home and played all day among the flowerswith the Merry Little Breezes of Old Mother West Wind, and was as happyas could be. 

But all day long Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Reddy Fox, andBobby Coon, and Jimmy Skunk, ran this way and ran that way over theGreen Meadows trying to find the Best Thing in the World. The sun wasvery, very warm, and they ran so far and ran so fast that they werevery, very hot and tired, and still they hadn't found the Best Thing inthe World. 

When the long day was over they started up the Lone Little Path pastJohnny Chuck's house to their own homes. They didn't hurry now, forthey were so very, very tired! And they were cross--oh, so cross!

Striped Chipmunk hadn't found so much as the leaf of a cabbage. BobbyCoon hadn't found the tiniest bit of sweet milky corn. Jimmy Skunkhadn't seen a single beetle. Reddy Fox hadn't heard so much as the peepof a chicken. And all were hungry as hungry could be. 

Half way up the Lone Little Path they met Old Mother West Wind going toher home behind the hill. "Did you find the Best Thing in the World?"asked Old Mother West Wind. 

"No!" shouted Striped Chipmunk, and Peter Rabbit, and Bobby Coon, andJimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox, all together. 

"Johnny Chuck has it, " said Old Mother West Wind. "It is being happywith the things you have, and not wanting things which some one elsehas. And it is called Con-tent-ment. "

 [A] From "Old Mother West Wind, " by Thornton W. Burgess; used by permission of the author and the publishers, Little, Brown & Company. 

LITTLE WEE PUMPKIN'S THANKSGIVING[B]

BY MADGE A. BINGHAM

It was the night before Thanksgiving in Peter Pumpkin-eater's garden. Great Big Pumpkin, Middle-Sized Pumpkin, and Little Wee Pumpkin werespeaking together. 

"All here?" asked Great Big Pumpkin. 

"I'm here, " answered Middle-Sized Pumpkin. 

"I'm here, " answered Little Wee Pumpkin. "But I heard Peter say that hewould pull us to-morrow and send us away. "

"That will be fine!" said Great Big Pumpkin. "I hope we shall make goodpies for some one's dinner. I wish we could go to the palace. "

"So do I, " said Middle-Sized Pumpkin. "Maybe we could see the King. "

"I should like to see Cinderella, " said Little Wee Pumpkin. "But I amnot large enough to go to the palace. Still, I wish I could make someone glad on Thanksgiving Day. "

Little Wee Pumpkin was the first to wake in the morning. Peter hadopened the garden gate, and Cinderella was walking into the garden. 

Little Wee Pumpkin opened her eyes and listened. 

Cinderella was beautiful, and Little Wee Pumpkin knew that she wasgood and kind. She was carrying a basket full of yellow flowers. 

"They are for you, Peter, " she said, laughing. "I have brought themfrom the palace garden. They are for your Thanksgiving. 

"Now you must help me find the right pumpkin for a jack-o'-lantern. Itis to make a little girl glad. She has been ill a long time, and musthave a jack-o'-lantern for Thanksgiving. "

"Yes, my lady, " said Peter; and they went from vine to vine. 

First, they stopped at Great Big Pumpkin, but that was too large. Thenthey stopped at Middle-Sized Pumpkin, but that was too flat. Then theystopped at Little Wee Pumpkin, and that was just right. 

"This is the pumpkin for the jack-o'-lantern, Peter, " she said, pointing to Little Wee Pumpkin. "This will make the little girl glad. "

"Yes, my lady, " said Peter, as he pulled Little Wee Pumpkin from thevine. 

"The two large pumpkins shall go to the palace, to the King, " saidCinderella. "They will make fine pies for his Thanksgiving dinner. "

"Yes, my lady, " said Peter, as he pulled the two pumpkins from thevines. 

So Great Big, Middle-Sized, and Little Wee all had their wishes. 

 [B] From "Mother Goose Village, " by Madge A. Bingham, published by Rand, McNally & Company, and used by special arrangement. 

THE COMING OF THE KING[C]

BY LAURA E. RICHARDS

Some children were at play in their playground one day when a heraldrode through the town, blowing a trumpet, and crying aloud: "The King!The King passes by this road to-day!"

"Did you hear that?" they said. "The King is coming. He may look overthe wall and see our playground: who knows? We must put it in order. "

The playground was sadly dirty, and in the corners were scraps of paperand broken toys--for these were careless children! But now, one broughta hoe, and another a rake, and a third ran to fetch the wheelbarrowfrom behind the garden gate. They labored hard, till at length all wasclean and tidy. 

"Now it is clean!" they said; "but we must make it pretty, too, forkings are used to fine things; maybe he would not notice merecleanness, for he may have it all the time. "

Then one brought sweet rushes and strewed them on the ground; andothers made garlands of oak leaves and pine tassels and hung them onthe walls; and the littlest one pulled marigold buds and threw them allabout the playground. 

When all was done the playground was so beautiful that the childrenstood and looked at it, and clapped their hands with pleasure. 

"Let us keep it always like this!" said the littlest one; and theothers cried: "Yes! yes!"

They waited all day for the coming of the King, but he did not come;only, toward sunset, a man with travel-worn clothes, and a kind, tiredface passed along the road, and stopped to look over the wall. 

"What a pleasant place!" said the man. "May I come in and rest, dearchildren?"

The children brought him in gladly, and set him on the seat that theyhad made out of an old cask. They had covered it with an old red cloak, to make it look like a throne; and it made a very good one. 

"It is our playground!" they said. "We made it pretty for the King, buthe did not come, and now we mean to keep it so for ourselves. "

"That is good!" said the man. 

"Because we think pretty and clean is nicer than ugly and dirty!" saidanother. 

"That is better!" said the man. 

"And for tired people to rest in!" said the littlest one. 

"That is best of all!" said the man. 

He sat and rested, and looked at the children with such kind eyes thatthey came about him, and told him all they knew; about the five puppiesin the barn, and the thrush's nest with four blue eggs, and the shorewhere the gold shells grew: and the man nodded, and understood allabout it. 

By-and-by he asked for a cup of water, and they brought it to him inthe best cup, with the gold sprigs on it, then he thanked the children, and rose and went on his way; but before he went he laid his hand ontheir heads for a moment, and the touch went warm to their hearts. 

The children stood by the wall and watched the man as he went slowlyalong. The sun was setting, and the light fell in long slanting raysacross the road. 

"He looks so tired!" said one of the children. 

"But he was so kind!" said another. 

"See!" said the littlest one. "How the sun shines on his hair! it lookslike a crown of gold. "

 [C] From "The Golden Windows, " by Laura E. Richards; published by Little, Brown & Company, Boston. Used by permission of the publishers. 

 [Illustration: The Coming of the King]

THE LITTLE PIG[D]

BY MAUD LINDSAY

Once upon a time a little black-and-white pig with a curly tail wentout to take a morning walk. He intended to go to the Mud Puddle, butbefore he got there he came to a garden gate that was stretched wideopen. 

"Umph, umph, " said the little pig, when he saw it; "isn't this fine? Ihave wanted to get into this garden ever since I can remember. " And inhe went as fast as his four short legs could carry him. 

The garden was full of flowers. There were pansies, and daisies, andviolets, and honeysuckles, and all the bright flowers that you canname. Everything was in the proper place. There were tulips on eitherside of the garden walk, and hollyhocks stood in a straight row againstthe fence. The pansies had a garden bed all to themselves, and theyoung vines were just beginning to climb up on the frame that thegardener had made for their special benefit. 

"Umph, umph, nice place, " said the little pig; and he put his nose downin the pansy bed and began to root up the pansies, for he thought thatwas the way to behave in a garden. 

While he was enjoying himself there the brown hen came down the roadwith her family. She had thirteen children, and she was looking for anice rich spot where they might scratch for their breakfast. When shesaw the open gate she was delighted. 

"Cluck, cluck, come on, " she said to her chicks. 

"Peep, peep, peep, " said the little chickens, "is it a worm?"

"It is a beautiful garden, and there is nothing that I like better thanto scratch in a garden, " answered the hen, as she bustled through thegate. The chickens followed her, and soon they were all busy scratchingamong the violets. 

They had not been there very long when the red cow walked by thegarden. She was on her way to the Pond, but when she saw the opengarden gate she decided at once to go in. 

"Moo, moo, " she said, "this is delightful. Tender flowers are such atreat. " And she swished her tail over her back as she nipped thedaisies from their stems. 

"Cluck, " said the hen, "Peep, " said the chicks, "Umph, " said the littlepig, for they were pleased to have company. While they were talking arabbit with very bright eyes peeped in at the gate. 

"Oh, is it a party?" he said when he saw the red cow, and the pig witha curly tail, and the hen and chickens. 

"Come in, " said the pig, "and help yourself. There is plenty of room. "So the rabbit hopped into the garden and nibbled the green leaves andthe young vines. 

"How many of us are here?" asked the red cow, but before any of themcould count, the gardener came home. 

When _he_ looked into the garden he began to cry: "Oh, my prettypansies! my dear daisies! my sweet violets! my tender young vines!"

"What is he talking about?" said the chickens. 

"I suppose he wants us to go out, " answered the hen; and she ruffledher feathers and quarreled as the gardener came hurrying toward them. 

Then the cow ran one way and the pig ran another. The little chickensgot lost in the bushes, and the rabbit hid in the vines. The hencackled, and the pig squealed, and the gardener scolded. By the timehe had driven them all out of the garden the sun was high in the sky. 

"Umph, umph, " cried the little pig, as he scampered down the road, "wewill all come back to-morrow. "

But when they went back the next day the garden gate was fastenedclose, and not even the smallest chicken could get inside. 

 [D] From "More Winter Stories, " by Maud Lindsay; used by permission of the publishers, Milton Bradley Company, Springfield, Mass. 

THE TRAVELS OF THE LITTLE TOY SOLDIER

BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY

He was the largest and the best dressed and the bravest looking of allthe toy soldiers in the toy shop. Some of the toy soldiers were made ofpaper, and these tore easily if they even tried to drill. Some of thetoy soldiers were made of tin, and these bent if they had an encounter. 

But this toy soldier, who stood head and shoulders above the others, was made of wood. He had once been part of a great pine tree that stoodin the forest, and his heart was as brave and true as the heart of thetree. 

His trousers were painted green, with yellow stripes; and his jacketwas painted red, with gold buttons. He wore a painted blue cap upon theside of his head, with a band that went under his chin, and he carrieda wooden gun in one arm. He could stand alone, for his wooden legs wereglued to a block of wood, and his eyes were black and shining, and hismouth was painted in a smile. 

When the Toy Soldier went from the toy shop to live in Gregory's housethe little boy thought that he had never seen such a fine soldier inhis life. He made him captain of all the soldier ninepins and guard ofthe toy train, and he took him to bed with him at night. Then, one day, James, who lived next door and was Gregory's neighbor, came over toplay with Gregory. 

"What a nice Toy Soldier!" James said. 

"Yes, he's mine, " Gregory said. 

"May I play with him?" James asked. 

"No, I said he was my Toy Soldier, " Gregory answered. 

"Then I'll take him, " James said. 

"I won't let you, " Gregory said. 

Then the two little boys began pulling the Toy Soldier to see whichcould get him away from the other, and the Toy Soldier did not like itat all. He was fond of a good battle, but not of a quarrel. He decidedthat he would not stay in a house where there was a quarrelsome boy, and so he tumbled out of a window that was close by and fell, down, down, to the street below. 

The Toy Soldier had not lain long on the sidewalk when Harold passed byand picked him up. 

"I wanted a toy soldier and here is the finest one I ever saw, " Haroldsaid; and he slipped the soldier inside his coat and started on, for hewas going to school. The Toy Soldier lay close to Harold's watch thatwas tick, tick, ticking the time away, but Harold loitered, and at lasthe stopped to play a game of marbles with another little boy whom hemet. "I don't care if I am late for school, " he said. 

"Oho!" thought the Toy Soldier, and as the two little boys played hedropped out from under Harold's coat and into the gutter. When Haroldreached school, late, the Toy Soldier was gone. 

Joe found the Toy Soldier in the gutter and ran home with him to hismother. 

"I have a Toy Soldier!" he said. 

"How brave he looks, " said Joe's mother. 

All the rest of the day the Toy Soldier went about with Joe andlistened to what he said and watched what he did. 

"I can't go to the grocer's; I'm afraid of his dog. "

"I can't put in that nail. I am afraid that the hammer will slip andhit my finger. " This was what the Toy Soldier heard. 

Then it was Joe's bedtime, and the Toy Soldier went upstairs with himto bed, but Joe cried all the way. 

"I'm afraid of the dark!" he said. 

When Joe was asleep the Toy Soldier slipped out of his hand and fellinto a scrap basket. He knew very well that he couldn't stay with achild who was a coward. 

No one saw the Toy Soldier when the basket was emptied in the morning. He went with the scraps into a huge bag, and then into a wagon, andthen into a factory where men sorted the cloth to make it into paper. One of these men found the Toy Soldier and took him home to his littleboy, who was lame and had to stay alone all day. 

"Has it been a good day, John?" his father asked. 

"Oh, yes!" laughed John as he hugged the Toy Soldier. 

"You have my supper ready just in time, " his father said, watching thesoup bubbling in a shining pot on the stove. 

"And I cleaned a little and set the table, " John said. 

"Has your back hurt you very much to-day?" asked his father. 

"A little, but I don't mind that, " John said. "See how fine the ToySoldier looks standing on the table!"

"Oho!" thought the Toy Soldier, "now I have found a place where I canstay. Here is another soldier, cheerful and willing to work, andbrave!"

WHAT HAPPENED TO DUMPS

BY CAROLYN SHERWIN BAILEY

Once upon a time there was a queer little elf named Dumps, who livedall by himself in a dark little house down in a valley. Ever since hecould remember, things had gone wrong with him. 

He shivered in the cold and kicked the coal bucket when the firewouldn't burn. He howled when he stumbled over his own dinner pots thathe had left in the middle of the floor; and he stood in his front doorand scowled when other happy elves went by without speaking to him. 

He and his family had lived like that for years. When any elf wanted todescribe something very sad he would say it was "Down in the Dumps. "And so Dumps went on without a single happy day. 

But suddenly the elves decided to give a party. Oh, it was going to bea very jolly party indeed, and Dumps heard about it. Almost every elfwho passed was whistling, or singing something cheerful. And some ofthem carried their best green suits to the Wood Fairy's house to bepressed. And when Dumps heard about the party, he cried so loud becausehe knew he wouldn't be invited that the Wood Fairy heard him. The noisedisturbed her, and she went down to Dumps' house to see what was thematter with him _now_. 

"Tell me all about it, from the beginning, my dear, " she said to poorlittle Dumps. 

"I can't see the sunshine!" Dumps howled. 

"Of course, you can't, " said the Wood Fairy. "Your windows are dirty. Get some nice spring water in your little pail and wash them. "

Dumps had never thought of doing that. When he washed the windows thesunbeams streamed in like a golden ladder. 

"Is there something else the matter?" the Wood Fairy asked. 

"My fire won't burn, even though I kick the coal bucket every day, "Dumps sobbed. 

"Well, try blowing the fire, " the Wood Fairy suggested. 

Dumps had never thought of doing that. His bellows were stiff, but heblew them very hard, and--crackle--there was a nice bright fire, andhis kettle began to sing!

"Is that all?" asked the Wood Fairy. 

"Oh, no!" Dumps sighed, "The other elves are giving a party, and I'mnot invited. "

"It is for all the elves, and you don't have to be invited, " the WoodFairy said. "Stand up straight and let me brush your suit. Now runalong, my dear. "

So Dumps started up the hill to the party, laughing all the way, for hejust couldn't help it. You see, he had so many years of being one ofthe Dumps to make up for! He laughed until all his wrinkles were gone, and he was puffed out with happiness. He started bees buzzing, andgrasshoppers fiddling, and crickets chirping. 

"Who can this new, fat, cheerful elf be?" asked all the other elves, as Dumps arrived at the party, turning a double-somersault into theirmidst. "We are all here except Dumps, and of course this isn't he?"

Then Dumps showed them how he could turn back-somersaults, and make asee-saw out of a rush leaf. He taught them how to play baseball withwhite clover heads, and how to make a swing of braided grasses. Hesurprised himself with all the good times he was able to think up. 

"Of course, this isn't Dumps, " the other elves decided. "His name mustbe Delight. " And Dumps never told them their mistake, for it wasn'treally a mistake at all. Now, was it?

 [Illustration]

THE WRECK OF THE HESPERUS

BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

 It was the schooner Hesperus, That sailed the wintry sea; And the skipper had taken his little daughter, To bear him company. 

 Blue were her eyes as the fairy-flax, Her cheeks like the dawn of day, And her bosom white as the hawthorn buds, That ope in the month of May. 

 The skipper he stood beside the helm, His pipe was in his mouth; And he watched how the veering flaw did blow The smoke now west, now south. 

 Then up and spake an old Sailor, Had sailed to the Spanish Main: "I pray thee, put into yonder port, For I fear a hurricane. 

 "Last night, the moon had a golden ring, And to-night no moon we see!" The skipper, he blew a whiff from his pipe, And a scornful laugh laughed he. 

 Colder and louder blew the wind, A gale from the northeast, The snow fell hissing in the brine, And the billows frothed like yeast. 

 Down came the storm, and smote amain, The vessel in its strength; She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed, Then leaped her cable's length. 

 "Come hither! come hither! my little daughter, And do not tremble so; For I can weather the roughest gale, That ever wind did blow. "

 He wrapped her warm in his seaman's coat Against the stinging blast; He cut a rope from a broken spar, And bound her to the mast. 

 "O father! I hear the church-bells ring, Oh say, what may it be?" "'Tis a fog-bell on a rock-bound coast!"-- And he steered for the open sea. 

 "O father! I hear the sound of guns. Oh say, what may it be?" "Some ship in distress, that cannot live In such an angry sea!"

 "O father! I see a gleaming light. Oh say, what may it be?" But the father answered never a word, A frozen corpse was he. 

 Lashed to the helm, all stiff and stark, With his face turned to the skies, The lantern gleamed through the gleaming snow On his fixed and glassy eyes. 

 Then the maiden clasped her hands and prayed That saved she might be; And she thought of Christ, who stilled the wave, On the Lake of Galilee. 

 And fast through the midnight dark and drear, Through the whistling sleet and snow, Like a sheeted ghost, the vessel swept Toward the reef of Norman's Woe. 

 And ever the fitful gusts between A sound came from the land; It was the sound of the trampling surf, On the rocks and the hard sea-sand. 

 The breakers were right beneath her bows, She drifted a dreary wreck, And a whooping billow swept the crew Like icicles from her deck. 

 She struck where the white and fleecy waves Looked soft as carded wool, But the cruel rocks, they gored her side Like the horns of an angry bull. 

 Her rattling shrouds, all sheathed in ice, With the masts went by the board; Like a vessel of glass, she stove and sank, Ho! ho! the breakers roared!

 At daybreak, on the bleak sea-beach, A fisherman stood aghast, To see the form of a maiden fair, Lashed close to a drifting mast. 

 The salt sea was frozen on her breast, The salt tears in her eyes; And he saw her hair, like the brown seaweed, On the billows fall and rise. 

 Such was the wreck of the Hesperus, In the midnight and the snow! Christ save us all from a death like this, On the reef of Norman's Woe. 

 [Illustration: Ballad of the Little Page]

BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN

 It was a little, little page, Was brought from far away, To bear the great queen's velvet train Upon her bridal day. 

 His yellow curls were long and bright, His page's suit was blue, With golden clasps at neck and knee, And ruffles fair and new. 

 And faith, he was the smallest page The court had ever known: His head scarce reached the topmost step That led up to the throne. 

 And oh, 't was but a little lad Had never been before So many leagues from kin and friends, And from his father's door!

 And oh!--'t was but a little child Who never yet, I wis, Had stolen lonely to his bed Without his mother's kiss. 

 He had not seen the noble queen, Of whom his heart had fear; He knew no friend at court to give A welcome and good cheer. 

 It was the busy night before The great queen's wedding-day, And all was bustle, haste, and noise, And every one was gay;

 And each one had his task to do, And none had time to spare To tend a weeping little page Whose mother was not there. 

 Far in a big and gloomy room Within the castle keep, The little page lay all alone, And wept, and could not sleep. 

 The little page lay all alone, And hid his head and cried, Until it seemed his aching heart Would burst his little side. 

 The chamber door was set ajar, And one was passing by Who heard the little page's sobs And then his piteous cry. 

 Then some one lifted up the latch And pushed the heavy door, And then a lady entered in And crossed the chamber floor--

 A lady tall and sweet and fair, In bridal white who stepped; She stood beside the page's bed, And asked him why he wept. 

 [Illustration: "--AND NONE HAD TIME TO SPARE TO TEND A LITTLE WEEPING PAGE"]

 [Illustration: "HE TREMBLED AND LOOKED DOWN"]

 And then he sobbed about a "kiss, " His "mother, " and his "home, " And wished the queen had called no page, And wished he had not come;

 For she was "such a proud, great queen" He was afraid, he said; And he was "lost and lonely" there In that huge, gloomy bed. 

 And then the lady bent her down And kissed him on the lips, And smoothed his yellow, silken curls With tender finger-tips. 

 The tears stood in her gentle eyes; "Poor little lad!" she said, And cuddled him up in her arms And knelt down by the bed. 

 And so she held him, close and warm, And sang him off to sleep, While at her nod her waiting-maids A silent watch did keep. 

 And when the morning smiled again The little page awoke. They clad him in a suit of white, With velvet cap and cloak, And crystal buckles on his shoes, And led him to the queen, All lovely in her bridal gear, The fairest ever seen. 

 And he was such a tiny page, He trembled and looked down, For he was sore afraid to see The great queen sternly frown. 

 But lo! he heard a soft voice say, "O little page, look here! Am I, who sing to sleep so well, A queen for child to fear?"

 He raised his eyes, and lo! the bride Looked on the page and smiled, And then he knew the queen had played At nurse-maid for a child. 

 And well he graced the wedding-feast And bore her velvet train, And at his dear queen's side thenceforth Was never sad again. 

 [Illustration]

THE SNOW-IMAGE

BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

One afternoon of a cold winter's day, when the sun shone forth withchilly brightness, after a long storm, two children asked leave oftheir mother to run out and play in the new-fallen snow. 

The elder child was a little girl, whom, because she was of a tenderand modest disposition, and was thought to be very beautiful, herparents and other people who were familiar with her used to callViolet. 

But her brother was known by the title of Peony, on account of theruddiness of his broad and round little phiz, which made everybodythink of sunshine and great scarlet flowers. 

"Yes, Violet--yes, my little Peony, " said their kind mother; "you maygo and play in the snow. "

Forth sallied the two children, with a hop-skip-and-jump that carriedthem at once into the very heart of a huge snowdrift, whence Violetemerged like a snow bunting, while little Peony floundered out with hisround face in full bloom. 

Then what a merry time had they! To look at them frolicking in thewintry garden, you would have thought that the dark and pitiless stormhad been sent for no other purpose but to provide a new plaything forViolet and Peony; and that they themselves had been created, as thesnowbirds were, to take delight only in the tempest and in the whitemantle which it spread over the earth. 

At last, when they had frosted one another all over with handfuls ofsnow, Violet, after laughing heartily at little Peony's figure, wasstruck with a new idea. 

"You look exactly like a snow-image, Peony, " said she, "if your cheekswere not so red. And that puts me in mind! Let us make an image out ofsnow--an image of a little girl--and it shall be our sister, and shallrun about and play with us all winter long. Won't it be nice?"

"Oh, yes!" cried Peony, as plainly as he could speak, for he was but alittle boy. "That will be nice! And mamma shall see it!"

"Yes, " answered Violet; "mamma shall see the new little girl. But shemust not make her come into the warm parlor, for, you know, our littlesnow-sister will not love the warmth. "

And forthwith the children began this great business of making asnow-image that should run about; while their mother, who was sittingat the window and overheard some of their talk, could not help smilingat the gravity with which they set about it. They really seemed toimagine that there would be no difficulty whatever in creating a livelittle girl out of the snow. 

Indeed, it was an exceedingly pleasant sight--those bright little soulsat their tasks. Moreover, it was really wonderful to observe howknowingly and skillfully they managed the matter. Violet assumed thechief direction and told Peony what to do, while, with her own delicatefingers, she shaped out all the nicer parts of the snow-figure. 

It seemed, in fact, not so much to be made by the children, as to growup under their hands, while they were playing and prattling about it. Their mother was quite surprised at this; and the longer she looked, the more and more surprised she grew. 

Now, for a few moments there was a busy and earnest but indistinct humof the two children's voices, as Violet and Peony wrought together withone happy consent. Violet still seemed to be the guiding spirit; whilePeony acted rather as a laborer and brought her the snow from far andnear. And yet the little urchin evidently had a proper understanding ofthe matter. 

"Peony, Peony!" cried Violet; for her brother was at the other side ofthe garden. "Bring me those light wreaths of snow that have rested onthe lower branches of the pear tree. You can clamber on the snowdrift, Peony, and reach them easily. I must have them to make some ringletsfor our snow-sister's head!"

"Here they are, Violet!" answered the little boy. "Take care you do notbreak them. Well done! Well done! How pretty!"

"Does she not look sweet?" said Violet, with a very satisfied tone;"and now we must have some little shining bits of ice to make thebrightness of her eyes. She is not finished yet. Mamma will see howvery beautiful she is; but papa will say, 'Tush! nonsense! come in outof the cold!'"

"Let us call mamma to look out, " said Peony; and then he shouted, "Mamma! mamma!! mamma!!! Look out and see what a nice 'ittle girl weare making!"

"What a nice playmate she will be for us all winter long!" said Violet. "I hope papa will not be afraid of her giving us a cold! Shan't youlove her dearly, Peony?"

"Oh, yes!" cried Peony. "And I will hug her and she shall sit downclose by me and drink some of my warm milk. "

"Oh, no, Peony!" answered Violet, with grave wisdom. "That will not doat all. Warm milk will not be wholesome for our little snow-sister. Little snow-people, like her, eat nothing but icicles. No, no, Peony;we must not give her anything warm to drink!"

There was a minute or two of silence; for Peony, whose short legs werenever weary, had gone again to the other side of the garden. All of asudden, Violet cried out, loudly and joyfully:

"Look here, Peony! Come quickly! A light has been shining on her cheekout of that rose-colored cloud! And the color does not go away! Is notthat beautiful?"

"Yes, it is beau-ti-ful, " answered Peony, pronouncing the threesyllables with deliberate accuracy. "O Violet, only look at her hair!It is all like gold!"

"Oh, certainly, " said Violet, as if it were very much a matter ofcourse. "That color, you know, comes from the golden clouds that wesee up there in the sky. She is almost finished now. But her lips mustbe made very red--redder than her cheeks. Perhaps, Peony, it will makethem red if we both kiss them!"

Accordingly, the mother heard two smart little smacks, as if both herchildren were kissing the snow-image on its frozen mouth. But as thisdid not seem to make the lips quite red enough, Violet next proposedthat the snow-child should be invited to kiss Peony's scarlet cheek. 

"Come, 'ittle snow-sister, kiss me!" cried Peony. 

"There! she has kissed you, " added Violet, "and now her lips are veryred. And she blushed a little, too!"

"Oh, what a cold kiss!" cried Peony. 

Just then there came a breeze of the pure west wind sweeping throughthe garden, and rattling the parlor windows. It sounded so wintry coldthat the mother was about to tap on the window-pane with her thimbledfinger to summon the two children in when they both cried out to herwith one voice:

"Mamma! mamma! We have finished our little snow-sister, and she isrunning about the garden with us!"

"What imaginative little beings my children are!" thought the mother, putting the last few stitches into Peony's frock. "And it is strange, too, that they make me almost as much a child as they themselves are! Ican hardly help believing now that the snow-image has really come tolife!"

"Dear mamma!" cried Violet, "pray look out and see what a sweetplaymate we have!"

The mother, being thus entreated, could no longer delay to look forthfrom the window. The sun was now gone out of the sky, leaving, however, a rich inheritance of his brightness among those purple and goldenclouds which make the sunsets of winter so magnificent. 

But there was not the slightest gleam or dazzle, either on the windowor on the snow; so that the good lady could look all over the gardenand see everything and everybody in it. And what do you think she sawthere? Violet and Peony, of course, her own two darling children. 

Ah, but whom or what did she see besides? Why, if you will believeme, there was a small figure of a girl, dressed all in white, withrose-tinged cheeks and ringlets of golden hue, playing about the gardenwith the two children!

A stranger though she was, the child seemed to be on as familiar termswith Violet and Peony, and they with her, as if all the three had beenplaymates during the whole of their little lives. 

The mother thought to herself that it must certainly be the daughter ofone of the neighbors, and that, seeing Violet and Peony in the garden, the child had run across the street to play with them. 

So this kind lady went to the door, intending to invite the littlerunaway into her comfortable parlor; for, now that the sunshine waswithdrawn, the atmosphere out of doors was already growing very cold. 

But, after opening the house door, she stood an instant on thethreshold, hesitating whether she ought to ask the child to come in, orwhether she should even speak to her. Indeed, she almost doubted whetherit were a real child after all, or only a light wreath of the new-fallensnow, blown hither and thither about the garden by the intensely coldwest wind. 

There was certainly something very singular in the aspect of the littlestranger. Among all the children of the neighborhood the lady couldremember no such face, with its pure white and delicate rose-color, andthe golden ringlets tossing about the forehead and cheeks. 

And as for her dress, which was entirely of white, and fluttering in thebreeze, it was such as no reasonable woman would put upon a little girlwhen sending her out to play in the depth of winter. It made this kindand careful mother shiver only to look at those small feet, with nothingin the world on them except a very thin pair of white slippers. 

Nevertheless, airily as she was clad, the child seemed to feel not theslightest inconvenience from the cold, but danced so lightly over thesnow that the tips of her toes left hardly a print in its surface; whileViolet could but just keep pace with her, and Peony's short legscompelled him to lag behind. 

All this while, the mother stood on the threshold, wondering how alittle girl could look so much like a flying snowdrift, or how asnowdrift could look so very like a little girl. 

"Violet, my darling, what is this child's name?" asked she. "Does shelive near us?"

"Why, dearest mamma, " answered Violet, laughing to think that her motherdid not comprehend so very plain an affair, "this is our littlesnow-sister whom we have just been making!"

"Yes, dear mamma, " cried Peony, running to his mother and looking upsimply into her face. "This is our snow-image! Is it not a nice 'ittlechild?"

"Violet, " said her mother, greatly perplexed, "tell me the truth withoutany jest. Who is this little girl?"

"My darling mamma, " answered Violet, looking seriously into her mother'sface, surprised that she should need any further explanation, "I havetold you truly who she is. It is our little snow-image which Peony and Ihave been making. Peony will tell you so, as well as I. "

"Yes, mamma, " asseverated Peony, with much gravity in his crimson littlephiz; "this is 'ittle snow-child. Is not she a nice one? But, mamma, herhand is, oh, so very cold!"

While mamma still hesitated what to think and what to do, the streetgate was thrown open and the father of Violet and Peony appeared, wrapped in a pilot-cloth sack, with a fur cap drawn down over his ears, and the thickest of gloves upon his hands. 

Mr. Lindsey was a middle-aged man, with a weary and yet a happy look inhis wind-flushed and frost-pinched face, as if he had been busy all theday long and was glad to get back to his quiet home. His eyes brightenedat the sight of his wife and children, although he could not helputtering a word or two of surprise at finding the whole family in theopen air on so bleak a day, and after sunset, too. 

He soon perceived the little white stranger, sporting to and fro in thegarden like a dancing snow-wreath, and the flock of snowbirds flutteringabout her head. 

"Pray, what little girl may that be?" inquired this very sensible man. "Surely her mother must be crazy to let her go out in such bitterweather as it has been to-day, with only that flimsy white gown andthose thin slippers!"

"My dear husband, " said his wife, "I know no more about the little thingthan you do. Some neighbor's child, I suppose. Our Violet and Peony, "she added, laughing at herself for repeating so absurd a story, "insistthat she is nothing but a snow-image which they have been busy about inthe garden almost all the afternoon. "

As she said this, the mother glanced her eyes toward the spot where thechildren's snow-image had been made. What was her surprise on perceivingthat there was not the slightest trace of so much labor!--no image atall!--no piled-up heap of snow!--nothing whatever save the prints oflittle footsteps around a vacant space!

"This is very strange!" said she. 

"What is strange, dear mother?" asked Violet. "Dear father, do not yousee how it is? This is our snow-image, which Peony and I have madebecause we wanted another playmate. Did not we, Peony?"

"Yes, papa, " said crimson Peony. "This be our 'ittle snow-sister. Is shenot beau-ti-ful? But she gave me such a cold kiss!"

"Poh, nonsense, children!" cried their good, honest father, who had aplain matter-of-fact way of looking at matters. "Do not tell me ofmaking live figures out of snow. Come, wife; this little stranger mustnot stay out in the bleak air a moment longer. We will bring her intothe parlor; and you shall give her a supper of warm bread and milk, andmake her as comfortable as you can. "

So saying, this honest and very kind-hearted man was going toward thelittle white damsel, with the best intentions in the world. But Violetand Peony, each seizing their father by the hand, earnestly besought himnot to make her come in. 

"Nonsense, children, nonsense, nonsense!" cried the father, half-vexed, half-laughing. "Run into the house, this moment! It is too late to playany longer now. I must take care of this little girl, or she will catchher death-a-cold!"

And so, with a most benevolent smile, this very well-meaning gentlemantook the snow-child by the hand and led her toward the house. 

She followed them, droopingly and reluctant, for all the glow andsparkle were gone out of her figure; and whereas just before she hadresembled a bright, frosty, star-gemmed evening, with a crimson gleam onthe cold horizon, she now looked as dull and languid as a thaw. 

As kind Mr. Lindsey led her up the steps of the door, Violet and Peonylooked into his face, their eyes full of tears, which froze before theycould run down their cheeks, and entreated him not to bring theirsnow-image into the house. 

"Not bring her in!" exclaimed the kind-hearted man. "Why, you are crazy, my little Violet--quite crazy, my small Peony! She is so cold alreadythat her hand has almost frozen mine, in spite of my thick gloves. Wouldyou have her freeze to death?"

His wife, as he came up the steps, had been taking another long, earnestgaze at the little white stranger. She hardly knew whether it was adream or no; but she could not help fancying that she saw the delicateprint of Violet's fingers on the child's neck. It looked just as if, while Violet was shaping out the image, she had given it a gentle patwith her hand, and had neglected to smooth the impression quite away. 

"After all, husband, " said the mother, "after all, she does lookstrangely like a snow-image! I do believe she is made of snow!"

A puff of the west wind blew against the snow-child, and again shesparkled like a star. 

"Snow!" repeated good Mr. Lindsey, drawing the reluctant guest over hishospitable threshold. "No wonder she looks like snow. She is halffrozen, poor little thing! But a good fire will put everything torights. "

The common-sensible man placed the snow-child on the hearthrug, right infront of the hissing and fuming stove. 

"Now she will be comfortable!" cried Mr. Lindsey, rubbing his hands andlooking about him, with the pleasantest smile you ever saw. "Makeyourself at home, my child. "

Sad, sad and drooping, looked the little white maiden as she stood onthe hearthrug, with the hot blast of the stove striking through her likea pestilence. Once she threw a glance toward the window, and caught aglimpse, through its red curtains, of the snow-covered roofs and thestars glimmering frostily and all the delicious intensity of the coldnight. The bleak wind rattled the window panes as if it were summoningher to come forth. But there stood the snow-child, drooping, before thehot stove!

But the common-sensible man saw nothing amiss. 

"Come, wife, " said he, "let her have a pair of thick stockings and awoolen shawl or blanket directly; and tell Dora to give her some warmsupper as soon as the milk boils. You, Violet and Peony, amuse yourlittle friend. She is out of spirits, you see, at finding herself in astrange place. For my part, I will go around among the neighbors andfind out where she belongs. "

The mother, meanwhile, had gone in search of the shawl and stockings. Without heeding the remonstrances of his two children, who still keptmurmuring that their little snow-sister did not love the warmth, goodMr. Lindsey took his departure, shutting the parlor door carefullybehind him. 

Turning up the collar of his sack over his ears, he emerged from thehouse, and had barely reached the street-gate when he was recalled bythe screams of Violet and Peony and the rapping of a thimbled fingeragainst the parlor window. 

"Husband! husband!" cried his wife, showing her horror-stricken facethrough the window panes. "There is no need of going for the child'sparents!"

"We told you so, father!" screamed Violet and Peony, as he re-enteredthe parlor. "You would bring her in; and now our poor--dear--beau-ti-fullittle snow-sister is thawed!"

And their own sweet little faces were already dissolved in tears; sothat their father, seeing what strange things occasionally happen inthis everyday world, felt not a little anxious lest his children mightbe going to thaw, too. In the utmost perplexity, he demanded anexplanation of his wife. 

She could only reply that, being summoned to the parlor by the cries ofViolet and Peony, she found no trace of the little white maiden, unlessit were the remains of a heap of snow which, while she was gazing at it, melted quite away upon the hearthrug. 

"And there you see all that is left of it!" added she, pointing to apool of water in front of the stove. 

"Yes, father, " said Violet, looking reproachfully at him through hertears, "there is all that is left of our dear little snow-sister!"

"Father!" cried Peony, stamping his foot, and--I shudder to say--shakinghis little fist at the common-sensible man. "We told you how it wouldbe. What for did you bring her in?"

And the stove, through the isinglass of its door, seemed to glare atgood Mr. Lindsey, like a red-eyed demon triumphing in the mischief whichit had done!

THE CASTLE OF GEMS

BY SOPHIE MAY

Once upon a time, though I cannot tell when, and in what country I donot now remember, there lived a maiden as fair as a lily, as gentle as adewdrop, and as modest as a violet. A pure, sweet name she had: It wasBlanche. 

She stood one evening, with her friend Victor, by the shore of a lake. Never had the youth or maiden seen the moonlight so enchanting; but theydid not know--

 "It was midsummer day, When all the fairy people From elf-land came away. "

Presently, while they gazed at the lake, which shone like liquid emeraldand sapphire and topaz, a boat, laden with strangely beautiful beings, glided toward them across the waters. The fair voyagers were clad inrobes of misty blue, with white mantles about their waists, and ontheir heads wreaths of valley-lilies. 

They were all as fair as need be; but fairest of all was thehelms-woman, the Queen of the Fairies. Her face was soft and clear likemoonlight; and she wore a crown of nine large diamonds, which refractedthe evening rays, and formed nine lunar rainbows. 

The fairies were singing a roundelay; and, as the melody floated overthe water, Victor and Blanche listened with throbbing hearts. Fairymusic has almost passed away from the earth; but those who hear it arestrangely moved, and have dreams of beautiful things which have been, and may be again. 

"It makes me think of the days of long ago when there was no sin, "whispered Blanche. 

"It makes me long to be a hero, " answered Victor with a sparkling eye. 

All the while the pearly boat was drifting toward the youth and maiden;and, when it had touched the shore the Queen stepped out upon the landas lightly as if she had been made entirely of dewdrops. 

"I am Fontana, " said she: "and is this Blanche?"

She laid her soft hand upon the maiden's shoulder; and Blanche thoughtshe would like to die then and there, so full was she of joy. 

"I have heard of thy good heart, my maiden: now what would please theemost?" inquired the Queen. 

Blanche bowed her head, and dared not speak. 

Queen Fontana smiled. When she smiled it was as if a soft cloud had slidaway from the moon, revealing a beautiful light. 

"Say pearls and diamonds, " said Victor in her ear. 

"I don't know, " whispered Blanche; "they are not the best things. "

"No, " said the Queen kindly; "pearls and diamonds are _not_ the bestthings. "

Then Blanche knew that her whisper had been overheard, and she hid herface in her hands for shame. But the Queen only smiled down on her, andwithout speaking dropped into the ground a little seed. Right at thefeet of Blanche it fell; and in a moment two green leaves shot upward, and between them a spotless lily, which hung its head with modest grace. 

Victor gazed at the perfect flower in wonder, and before he knew it saidaloud: "Ah, how like Blanche!"

The Queen herself broke it from the stem, and gave it to the maiden, saying:

"Take it! It is my choicest gift. Till it fades (which will never be), love will be thine; and in time to come it will have power to open thestrongest locks, and swing back the heaviest doors. 

 "'Gates of brass cannot withstand One touch of this magic wand. '"

Blanche looked up to thank the Queen; but no words came--only tears. 

"I see a wish in thine eyes, " said Fontana. 

"It is for Victor, " faltered Blanche, at last; "he wishes to be rich andgreat. "

The Queen looked grave. 

"Shall I make him one of the great men of the earth, little Blanche?Then he may one day go to the ends of the world, and forget thee. "

Blanche only smiled, and Victor's cheek flushed. 

"I shall be a great man, " said he--"perhaps a prince; but where I goBlanche shall go: she will be my wife. "

"That is well, " said the Queen. "Never forget Blanche, for her love willbe your dearest blessing. "

Then, removing from her girdle a pair of spectacles, she placed them inthe youth's hand. He drew back in surprise. "Does she take me for an oldman?" thought he. He had expected a casket of gems at least; perhaps acrown. 

"Wait, " said Fontana; "they are the eyes of Wisdom. When you havelearned their use, you will not despise my gift. Keep a pure heart, andalways remember Blanche. And now farewell!"

So saying, she moved on to the boat, floating over the ground as softlyas a creeping mist. 

When Blanche awoke next morning, her first thought was, "Happy are themaidens who have sweet dreams!" for she believed she had only beenwandering in a midsummer's night's dream; so, when she saw her lily inthe broken pitcher where she had placed it, great was her delight. But achange had come over it during the night. It was no longer a commonlily; its petals were now large pearls, and the green leaves were greenemeralds. This strange thing had happened to the flower, that it mightnever fade. 

After this, people looked at Blanche and said: "How is it? She growsfairer every day!" And every one loved her; for the human heart has nochoice but to love what is good and gentle. 

As for Victor, he at first put on his spectacles with a scornful smile;but, when he had worn them a moment, he found them very wonderfulthings. When he looked through them, he could see people's thoughtswritten out on their faces; he could easily decipher the fine writingwhich you see traced on green leaves; and found there were long storieswritten on pebbles in little black and gray dots. 

When he wore the spectacles, he looked so wise that Blanche hardly daredspeak to him. She saw that one day he was to become great. 

At last Victor said he must leave his home, and sail across the seas. Tears filled the eyes of Blanche; but the youth whispered:

"I am going away to find a home for you and me. So adieu, dearestBlanche!"

Now Victor thought the ship in which he sailed moved very slowly; forhe longed to reach the land which he could see through his magicspectacles. It was a beautiful kingdom, rich with mines of gold andsilver. 

When the ship touched shore, the streets were lined with people whowalked to and fro with sad faces. The King's daughter, a beautifulyoung maiden, was very ill, and it was feared she must die. 

Victor asked one of the people if there was no hope. 

It so happened that this man was the greatest physician in the kingdomand he answered:

"Alas, there is no hope!"

Then Victor went to a distant forest where he knew a healing spring wasto be found. Very few remembered it was there; and those who had seen itdid not know of its power to heal disease. 

Victor filled a crystal goblet with the precious water and carried it tothe palace. The old King shook his head sadly, but consented to let theattendants moisten the parched lips of the Princess with the water, asit could do no harm. Far from doing harm, it wrought a great good; andin time the royal maiden was restored to health. 

Then, for gratitude, the King would have given his daughter to Victorfor a wife; but Victor remembered Blanche, and knew that no other maidenmust be bride of his. 

Not long after this the King was lost overboard at sea during a storm. Now the people must have a new ruler. They determined to choose a wiseand brave man; and, young as he was, no man could be found braver andwiser than Victor; so the people elected him for their King. ThusFontana's gift of the eyes of Wisdom had made him truly "one of thegreat men of earth. "

In her humble home Blanche dreamed every night of Victor, and hoped hewould grow good, if he did not become great; and Victor rememberedBlanche, and knew that her love was his dearest blessing. 

"This old palace, " thought he, "will never do for my beautiful bride. "

So he called together his people, and told them he must have a castle ofgems. Some of the walls were to be of rubies, some of emeralds, some ofpearls. There was to be any amount of beaten gold for doors and pillars;and the ceilings were to be of milk-white opals, with a rosy light whichcomes and goes. 

All was done as he desired; and when the castle of gems was finished itwould need a pen of jasponyx dipped in rainbows to describe it. 

Victor thought he would not have a guard of soldiers for his castle, butwould lock the four golden gates with a magic key, so that no one couldenter unless the gates should swing back of their own accord. 

When the castle of gems was just completed, and not a soul was in it, Victor locked the gates with a magic key, and then dropped the key intothe ocean. 

"Now, " thought he, "I have done a wise thing. None but the good and truecan enter my castle of gems. The gates will not swing open for men withbase thoughts or proud hearts!"

Then he hid himself under the shadow of a tree, and watched the peopletrying to enter. But they were proud men, and so the gates would notopen. 

King Victor laughed, and said to himself:

"I have done a wise thing with my magic key. How safe I shall be in mycastle of gems!"

So he stepped out of his hiding place, and said to the people:

"None but the good and true can get in. "

Then he tried to go in himself; but the gates would not move. 

The King bowed his head in shame, and walked back to his old palace. 

"Alas!" said he to himself, "wise and great as I am, I thought I couldgo in. I see it must be because I am filled with pride. Let me hide myface; for what would Blanche say if she knew, that, because my heart isproud, I am shut out of my own castle? I am not worthy that she shouldlove me; but I hope I shall learn of her to be humble and good. "

The next day he sailed for the home of his childhood. When Blanche sawhim she blushed and cast down her eyes; but Victor knew they were fullof tears of joy. He held her hand, and whispered:

"Will you go with me and be my bride, beautiful Blanche?"

"I will go with you, " she answered softly; and Victor's heart rejoiced. 

All the while Blanche never dreamed that he was a great Prince, and thatthe men who came with him were his courtiers. 

When they reached Victor's kingdom, and the people shouted "Long livethe Queen!" Blanche veiled her face and trembled; for Victor whisperedin her ear that the shouts were for her. And as the people saw herbeautiful face through her gossamer veil, they cried all the moreloudly:

"Long live Queen Blanche! Thrice welcome, fair lady!"

The sun was sinking in the west, and his rays fell with dazzlingsplendor upon the castle of gems. When Blanche saw the silent, closedcastle and its golden gates she remembered the words of Queen Fontana, who had said that her lily should have power to "open the strongestlocks, and swing back the heaviest doors. "

Like one walking in a dream, she led Victor toward the resplendentcastle. She touched with her lily the lock which fastened one of thegates. 

 "Gates of gold could not withstand One touch of that magic wand. "

In an instant, the hinges trembled; and the massive door swung open sofar that forty people could walk in side by side. Then it slowly closed, and locked itself without noise. 

One of the people who passed in was the King, whose heart was no longerproud. The others, who had entered unwittingly, could not speak forwonder. Some of them were poor, and some were lame or blind; but allwere good and true. 

At the rising of the moon a wonderful thing came to pass. The peopleentered the castle of gems and became beautiful. This was through thepower of the magic lily. 

Now there were no more crooked backs, and lame feet, and sightless eyes;and the King looked at these people, who were beautiful as well as good, and declared he would have them live in the castle; and the gentlemenshould be knights; and the ladies maids of honor. 

To this day Victor and Blanche rule the kingdom; and such is the charmof the lily--so like the pure heart of the Queen--that the people arebecoming gentle and good. 

Until Queen Fontana shall call for the magic spectacles and the lily ofpearl, it is believed that Victor and Blanche will live in the castle ofgems, though the time should be a hundred years. 

THE HEN THAT HATCHED DUCKS

BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE

Once there was a nice young hen that we will call Mrs. Feathertop. Shewas a hen of most excellent family, being a direct descendant of theBolton Grays, and as pretty a young fowl as you wish to see of asummer's day. She was, moreover, as fortunately situated in life as itwas possible for a hen to be. She was bought by young Master Fred LittleJohn, with four or five family connections of hers, and a lively youngcock, who was held to be as brisk a scratcher and as capable a head of afamily as any half-dozen sensible hens could desire. 

I can't say that at first Mrs. Feathertop was a very sensible hen. Shewas very pretty and lively, to be sure, and a great favorite with MasterBolton Gray Cock, on account of her bright eyes, her finely shadedfeathers, and certain saucy dashing ways that she had, which seemedgreatly to take his fancy. But old Mrs. Scratchard, living in theneighboring yard, assured all the neighborhood that Gray Cock was a foolfor thinking so much of that flighty young thing--that she had not thesmallest notion how to get on in life, and thought of nothing in theworld but her own pretty feathers. "Wait till she comes to havechickens, " said Mrs. Scratchard. "Then you will see. I have brought upten broods myself--as likely and respectable chickens as ever were ablessing to society--and I think I ought to know a good hatcher andbrooder when I see her; and I know _that_ fine piece of trumpery, withher white feathers tipped with gray, never will come down to familylife. _She_ scratch for chickens! Bless me, she never did anything inall her days but run round and eat the worms which somebody elsescratched up for her!"

When Master Bolton Gray heard this he crowed very loudly, like a cock ofspirit, and declared that old Mrs. Scratchard was envious because shehad lost all her own tail-feathers, and looked more like a worn-out oldfeather duster than a respectable hen, and that therefore she was filledwith sheer envy of anybody that was young and pretty. So young Mrs. Feathertop cackled gay defiance at her busy rubbishy neighbor, as shesunned herself under the bushes on fine June afternoons. 

Now Master Fred Little John had been allowed to have these hens by hismamma on the condition that he would build their house himself, and takeall the care of it; and, to do Master Fred justice, he executed the jobin a small way quite creditably. He chose a sunny sloping bank coveredwith a thick growth of bushes, and erected there a nice littlehen-house, with two glass windows, a little door, and a good pole forhis family to roost on. He made, moreover, a row of nice little boxeswith hay in them for nests, and he bought three or four little smoothwhite china eggs to put in them, so that, when his hens _did_ lay, hemight carry off their eggs without their being missed. The hen-housestood in a little grove that sloped down to a wide river, just wherethere was a little cove which reached almost to the hen-house. 

The situation inspired one of Master Fred's boy advisers with a newscheme in relation to his poultry enterprise. "Hullo! I say, Fred, " saidTom Seymour, "you ought to raise ducks--you've got a capital place forducks there. "

"Yes, but I've bought _hens_, you see, " said Freddy; "so it's no usetrying. "

"No use! Of course there is! Just as if your hens couldn't hatch ducks'eggs. Now, you just wait till one of your hens wants to set, and you putducks' eggs under her, and you'll have a family of ducks in a twinkling. You can buy ducks' eggs, a plenty, of old Sam under the hill; he alwayshas hens hatch his ducks. "

So Freddy thought it would be a good experiment, and informed his motherthe next morning that he intended to furnish the ducks for the nextChristmas dinner; and when she wondered how he was to come by them, he said, mysteriously, "O, I will show you how!" but did not furtherexplain himself. The next day he went with Tom Seymour, and made a tradewith old Sam, and gave him a middle-aged jack-knife for eight of hisducks' eggs. Sam, by the bye, was a woolly-headed old negro man, wholived by the pond hard by, and who had long cast envying eyes on Fred'sjack-knife, because it was of extra-fine steel, having been a Christmaspresent the year before. But Fred knew very well there were any numbermore of jack-knives where that came from, and that, in order to get anew one, he must dispose of the old; so he made the trade and came homerejoicing. 

Now, about this time Mrs. Feathertop, having laid her eggs daily withgreat credit to herself, notwithstanding Mrs. Scratchard's predictions, began to find herself suddenly attacked with nervous symptoms. She losther gay spirits, grew dumpish and morose, stuck up her feathers in abristling way, and pecked at her neighbors if they did so much aslook at her. Master Gray Cock was greatly concerned, and went to oldDoctor Peppercorn, who looked solemn and recommended an infusion ofangle-worms, and said he would look in on the patient twice a day tillshe was better. 

"Gracious me, Gray Cock!" said old Goody Kertarkut, who had beenlolling at the corner as he passed, "a'n't you a fool?--cocks alwaysare fools. Don't you know what's the matter with your wife? She wantsto set--that's all; and you just let her set! A fiddlestick for DoctorPeppercorn! Why, any good old hen that has brought up a family knowsmore than a doctor about such things. You just go home and tell her toset, if she wants to, and behave herself. "

When Gray Cock came home, he found that Master Freddy had been beforehim, and established Mrs. Feathertop upon eight nice eggs, whereshe was sitting in gloomy grandeur. He tried to make a little affableconversation with her, and to relate his interview with the Doctor andGoody Kertarkut, but she was morose and sullen, and only pecked at himnow and then in a very sharp, unpleasant way; so, after a few moreefforts to make himself agreeable, he left her, and went out promenadingwith the captivating Mrs. Red Comb, a charming young Spanish widow, whohad just been imported into the neighboring yard. 

"Bless my soul!" said he, "you've no idea how cross my wife is. "

"O you horrid creature!" said Mrs. Red Comb; "how little you feel forthe weaknesses of us poor hens!"

"On my word, ma'am, " said Gray Cock, "you do me injustice. But when ahen gives way to temper, ma'am and no longer meets her husband with asmile--when she even pecks at him whom she is bound to honor andobey----"

"Horrid monster! talking of obedience! I should say, sir, you camestraight from Turkey!" And Mrs. Red Comb tossed her head with a mostbewitching air, and pretended to run away, and old Mrs. Scratchardlooked out of her coop and called to Goody Kertarkut:

"Look how Mr. Gray Cock is flirting with that widow. I always knew shewas a baggage. "

"And his poor wife left at home alone, " said Goody Kertarkut. "It's theway with 'em all!"

"Yes, yes, " said Dame Scratchard, "she'll know what real life is now, and she won't go about holding her head so high, and looking down on herpractical neighbors that have raised families. "

"Poor thing, what'll she do with a family?" said Goody Kertarkut. 

"Well, what business have such young flirts to get married, " said DameScratchard. "I don't expect she'll raise a single chick; and there'sGray Cock flirting about fine as ever. Folks didn't do so when I wasyoung. I'm sure my husband knew what treatment a setting hen ought tohave--poor old Long Spur--he never minded a peck or so now and then. Imust say these modern fowls a'n't what fowls used to be. "

Meanwhile the sun rose and set, and Master Fred was almost the onlyfriend and associate of poor little Mrs. Feathertop, whom he fed dailywith meal and water, and only interrupted her sad reflections by pullingher up occasionally to see how the eggs were coming on. 

At last "Peep, peep, peep!" began to be heard in the nest, and onelittle downy head after another poked forth from under the feathers, surveying the world with round, bright, winking eyes; and gradually thebrood was hatched, and Mrs. Feathertop arose, a proud and happy mother, with all the bustling, scratching, caretaking instincts of familylife warm within her breast. She clucked and scratched, and cuddledthe little downy bits of things as handily and discreetly as aseven-year-old hen could have done, exciting thereby the wonder of thecommunity. 

Master Gray Cock came home in high spirits and complimented her; toldher she was looking charmingly once more, and said, "Very well, verynice!" as he surveyed the young brood. So that Mrs. Feathertop beganto feel the world going well with her, when suddenly in came DameScratchard and Goody Kertarkut to make a morning call. 

"Let's see the chicks, " said Dame Scratchard. 

"Goodness me, " said Goody Kertarkut, "what a likeness to their dearpapa!"

"Well, but bless me, what's the matter with their bills?" said DameScratchard. "Why, my dear, these chicks are deformed! I'm sorry for you, my dear, but it's all the result of your inexperience; you ought to haveeaten pebble-stones with your meal when you were setting. Don't you see, Dame Kertarkut, what bills they have? That'll increase, and they'll befrightful!"

"What shall I do?" said Mrs. Feathertop, now greatly alarmed. 

"Nothing as I know of, " said Dame Scratchard, "since you didn't come tome before you set. I could have told you all about it. Maybe it won'tkill 'em, but they'll always be deformed. "

And so the gossips departed, leaving a sting under the pin-feathers ofthe poor little hen mamma, who began to see that her darlings hadcurious little spoon-bills different from her own, and to worry and fretabout it. 

"My dear, " she said to her spouse, "do get Doctor Peppercorn to come inand look at their bills, and see if anything can be done. "

Doctor Peppercorn came in, and put on a monstrous pair of spectacles andsaid: "Hum! Ha! Extraordinary case--very singular!"

"Did you ever see anything like it, Doctor?" said both parents, in abreath. 

"I've read of such cases. It's a calcareous enlargement of the vascularbony tissue, threatening ossification, " said the Doctor. 

"Oh, dreadful!--can it be possible?" shrieked both parents. "Cananything be done?"

"Well, I should recommend a daily lotion made of mosquitoes' horns andbicarbonate of frogs' toes together with a powder, to be taken morningand night, of muriate of fleas. One thing you must be careful about:they must never wet their feet, nor drink any water. "

"Dear me, Doctor, I don't know what I _shall_ do, for they seem to havea particular fancy for getting into water. "

"Yes, a morbid tendency often found in these cases of bony tumificationof the vascular tissue of the mouth; but you must resist it, ma'am, as their life depends upon it. " And with that Doctor Peppercornglared gloomily on the young ducks, who were stealthily poking theobjectionable little spoon-bills out from under their mothers' feathers. 

After this poor Mrs. Feathertop led a weary life of it; for the youngfry were as healthy and enterprising a brood of young ducks as evercarried saucepans on the end of their noses, and they most utterly setthemselves against the doctor's prescriptions, murmured at the muriateof fleas and the bicarbonate of frogs' toes and took every opportunityto waddle their little ways down to the mud and water which was in theirnear vicinity. So their bills grew larger and larger, as did the rest oftheir bodies, and family government grew weaker and weaker. 

"You'll wear me out children, you certainly will, " said poor Mrs. Feathertop. 

"You'll go to destruction, do ye hear?" said Master Gray Cock. 

"Did you ever see such frights as poor Mrs. Feathertop has got?" saidDame Scratchard. "I knew what would come of _her_ family--all deformed, and with a dreadful sort of madness, which makes them love to shovel mudwith those shocking spoon-bills of theirs. "

 [Illustration: "THEY MUST NEVER WET THEIR FEET, NOR DRINK ANY WATER, " SAID THE DOCTOR]

"It's a kind of idiocy, " said Goody Kertarkut. "Poor things! theycan't be kept from the water, nor made to take powders, and so they gotworse and worse. "

"I understand it's affecting their feet so that they can't walk, and adreadful sort of net is growing between their toes; what a shockingvisitation!"

"She brought it on herself, " said Dame Scratchard. "Why didn't she cometo me before she set? She was always an upstart, self-conceited thing, but I'm sure I pity her. "

Meanwhile the young ducks throve apace. Their necks grew glossy likechangeable green and gold satin, and though they would not take thedoctor's medicine, and would waddle in the mud and water--for which theyalways felt themselves to be very naughty ducks--yet they grew quitevigorous and hearty. At last one day the whole little tribe waddled offdown to the bank of the river. It was a beautiful day, and the river wasdancing and dimpling and winking as the little breezes shook the treesthat hung over it. 

"Well, " said the biggest of the little ducks, "in spite of DoctorPeppercorn I can't help longing for the water. I don't believe it isgoing to hurt me; at any rate, here goes. " And in he plumped, and inwent every duck after him, and they threw out their great brown feet ascleverly as if they had taken rowing-lessons all their lives, and sailedoff on the river, away, away, among the ferns, under the pink azalias, through reeds and rushes and arrow-heads and pickerel-weed, the happiestducks that ever were born; and soon they were quite out of sight. 

"Well, Mrs. Feathertop, this is a dispensation, " said Mrs. Scratchard. "Your children are all drowned at last, just as I knew they'd be. Theold music-teacher Master Bullfrog, that lives down in Water-Dock Lane, saw 'em all plump madly into the water together this morning; that'swhat comes of not knowing how to bring up a family. "

Mrs. Feathertop gave only one shriek and fainted dead away, and wascarried home on a cabbage leaf, and Mr. Gray Cock was sent for, where hewas waiting on Mrs. Red Comb through the squash vines. 

"It's a serious time in your family, sir, " said Goody Kertarkut, "andyou ought to be at home supporting your wife. Send for Doctor Peppercornwithout delay. "

Now as the case was a very dreadful one, Doctor Peppercorn called acouncil from the barnyard of the Squire two miles off, and a briskyoung Doctor Partlett appeared in a fine suit of brown and gold, withtail-feathers like meteors. A fine young fellow he was, lately fromParis, with all the modern scientific improvements fresh in his head. 

When he had listened to the whole story, he clapped his spur into theground, and, leaning back laughed so loud that all the cocks in theneighborhood crowed. 

Mrs. Feathertop rose up out of her swoon, and Mr. Gray Cock was greatlyenraged. 

"What do you mean, sir, by such behavior in the house of mourning?"

"My dear sir, pardon me, but there is no occasion for mourning. My dearmadam, let me congratulate you. There is no harm done. The simple matteris, dear madam, you have been under a hallucination all along. Theneighborhood and my learned friend the doctor have all made a mistake inthinking that these children of yours were hens at all. They are ducks, ma'am, evidently ducks, and very finely formed ducks, I dare say. "

At this moment a quack was heard, and at a distance the whole tribe wereseen coming waddling home, their feathers gleaming in green and gold, and they themselves in high good spirits. 

"Such a splendid day as we have had!" they all cried in a breath. "Andwe know now how to get our own living; we can take care of ourselves infuture, so you need have no further trouble with us. "

"Madam, " said the Doctor, making a bow with an air which displayed histail-feathers to advantage, "let me congratulate you on the charmingfamily you have raised. A finer brood of young healthy ducks I neversaw. Give claw, my dear friend, " he said, addressing the elder son. "Inour barnyard no family is more respected than that of the ducks. "

And so Madam Feathertop came off glorious at last; and when after thisthe ducks used to go swimming up and down the river, like so manynabobs, among the admiring hens, Doctor Peppercorn used to look afterthem and say: "Ah! I had the care of their infancy!"

And Mr. Gray Cock and his wife used to say to each other: "It was oursystem of education did that!"

 [Illustration: THE BALLAD OF PIPING WILL]

BY ANNA HEMPSTEAD BRANCH

 There was a lad named Piping Will With tattered coat and poor; He had no home to bide him in, But roamed from door to door. 

 This lad had naught except a pipe On which he used to play; Yet never lad did laugh so free, Nor had a look so gay. 

 "Nay, bide, thou merry piper-boy!" The kindly house-dames said. "The roads are rough, the skies are wild, And thou dost lack for bread. 

 "The hills are steep, the stones unkind-- Why wilt thou always roam? And winter turns a barren heart To them that have no home. "

 Then would he smile and pipe awhile, But would not ever stay. How strange that he could be so poor, Yet have a heart so gay!

 And so the good folk shook their heads, And they would turn and stare To see him piping through the fields. What was he doing there?

 It fell about the blithe Yule-tide, When winter winds were keen, The Burgomaster's little maid Slipped from the house unseen;

 For she had heard that in the wood The dear snow-children run, And play where shadows are most cold And where there is no sun. 

 But lo, the evening hurried on, And bitter sleet blew cold; It whitened all her scarlet cloak And flying locks of gold. 

 The road was hid, and she was lost, And knew not where to go; And still the sharp blast swept her on, Whether she would or no. 

 Now who is this amid the sleet? His face she cannot see! He tunes his pipe against the wind, As merry as can be. 

 He tunes his pipe against the wind With music sweet and wild, When lo, a fluttering scarlet cape, The sobbing of a child!

 He took her up and held her close; "I'll take you home, " he said. But still the little maid sobbed on, Nor was she comforted. 

 "What! Cold and hungry, little maid, And frightened of the storm? I'll play upon my pipe, " said he, "And that will keep you warm!"

 And lo, when first he blew his pipe, It was a wondrous thing-- The sleet and snow turned all to flowers, The birds began to sing!

 When next he blew upon his pipe, She marveled more and more; For, built of gold with strange device, A palace rose before!

 A lovely lady led them in, And there they sat them down; The piper wore a purple cloak, And she a snow-white gown. 

 And there was song and light and cheer, Feasting and everything! Who would have thought that Piping Will Could be so great a king?

 The third time that he blew his pipe They took her to the queen; Her hair was yellow as the sun, And she was clothed in green. 

 [Illustration: "THEY TOOK HER TO THE QUEEN"]

 Yet did she kiss that little maid, Who should no longer roam-- When lo, the dear dream flashed away, And there she was at home!

 "Make this thy home, thou Piping Will, " The Burgomaster cried. "Thou hast restored our little maid! I tell thee, thou must bide. "

 [Illustration: "'NAY, BIDE, THOU MERRY PIPER BOY!' THE KINDLY HOUSE-DAMES SAID"]

 [Illustration]

 "Make this thy home, thou Piping Will, " The bustling mother said. "Come, warm thyself before the hearth And eat the good white bread. "

 But Piping Will would only smile: "Good friends, I cannot wait!" (Who could have thought that tattered coat Had been a robe of state!)

 So forth he fared into the night, And, piping, went his way. "How strange, " they said, "a lad so poor Can have a heart so gay!"

 Only the little maid that sat Upon her father's knee Remembered how they two had fared That night right pleasantly. 

 And as she ate her bread and milk, So close and safe and warm, She wondered what strange, lovely lands He wrought of wind and storm. 

 For he that plays a fairy pipe Is lord of everything! She laughed to think that Piping Will Should be so great a king. 

 [Illustration: "A LOVELY LADY LED THEM IN"]

LITTLE ANNIE'S DREAM, OR THE FAIRY FLOWER

BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT

In a large and pleasant garden sat little Annie, all alone, and sheseemed very sad, for drops that were not dew fell fast upon the flowersbeside her, which looked wonderingly up, and bent still nearer, as ifthey longed to cheer and comfort her. The warm wind lifted up hershining hair, and softly kissed her cheek, while the sunbeams, lookingmost kindly in her face, made little rainbows in her tears, and lingeredlovingly about her. But Annie paid no heed to sun, or wind, or flower;still the bright tears fell, and she forgot all but her sorrow. 

"Little Annie, tell me why you weep, " said a low voice in her ear; and, looking up, the child beheld a little figure standing on a vine leaf ather side; a lovely face smiled on her from amid bright locks of hair, and shining wings were folded on a white and glittering robe thatfluttered in the wind. 

"Who are you, lovely little thing?" cried Annie, smiling through hertears. 

"I am a Fairy, little child, and am come to help and comfort you; nowtell me why you weep, and let me be your friend, " replied the spirit, asshe smiled more kindly still on Annie's wondering face. 

"And are you really, then, a little Elf, such as I read of in my fairybooks? Do you ride on butterflies, sleep in flower-cups, and live amongthe clouds?"

"Yes, all these things I do, and many stranger still that all your fairybooks can never tell; but now, dear Annie, " said the Fairy, bendingnearer, "tell me why I found no sunshine on your face; why are thesegreat drops shining on the flower and why do you sit alone when bird andbee are calling you to play?"

"Ah, you will not love me any more if I should tell you all, " saidAnnie, while the tears began to fall again; "I am not happy, for I amnot good; how shall I learn to be a patient, gentle child? Good littleFairy, will you teach me how?"

"Gladly will I aid you Annie. The task is hard, but I will give thisfairy flower to help and counsel you. Bend hither, that I may place iton your breast; no hand can take it hence, till I unsay the spell thatholds it there. "

As thus she spoke, the Elf took from her bosom a graceful flower, whosesnow-white leaves shone with a strange, soft light. "This is a fairyflower, " said the Elf, "invisible to every eye save yours; now listenwhile I tell its power, Annie. When your heart is filled with lovingthoughts, when some kindly deed has been done, some duty well performed, then from the flower there will arise the sweetest, softest fragrance, to reward and gladden you. But when an unkind word is on your lips, whena selfish, angry feeling rises in your heart, or an unkind, cruel deedis to be done, then will you hear the soft, low chime of the flowerbell; listen to its warning, let the word remain unspoken, the deedundone, and in the quiet joy of your own heart, and the magic perfumeof your bosom flower, you will find a sweet reward. "

"O kind and generous Fairy, how can I ever thank you for this lovelygift!" cried Annie. "I will be true, and listen to my little bellwhenever it may ring. But shall I never see you more? Ah! if you wouldonly stay with me, I should indeed be good. "

"I cannot stay now, little Annie, " said the Elf, "but when anotherSpring comes round, I shall be here again, to see how well the fairygift has done its work. And now farewell, dear child; be faithful toyourself, and the magic flower will never fade. "

Then the gentle Fairy folded her little arms around Annie's neck, laid asoft kiss on her cheek, and, spreading wide her shining wings, flewsinging up among the white clouds floating in the sky. 

And little Annie sat among her flowers, and watched with wondering joythe fairy blossom shining on her breast. 

The pleasant days of Spring and Summer passed away, and in littleAnnie's garden Autumn flowers were blooming everywhere, with each day'ssun and dew growing still more beautiful and bright; but the fairyflower, that should have been the loveliest of all, hung pale anddrooping on little Annie's bosom; its fragrance seemed quite gone, andthe clear, low music of its warning chime rang often in her ear. 

When first the Fairy placed it there, she had been pleased with her newgift, and for a while obeyed the fairy bell, and often tried to win somefragrance from the flower by kind and pleasant words and actions; then, as the Fairy said, she found a sweet reward in the strange, soft perfumeof the magic blossom as it shone upon her breast; but selfish thoughtswould come to tempt her, she would yield, and unkind words fell from herlips; and then the flower drooped pale and scentless, the fairy bellrang mournfully, Annie would forget her better resolutions, and be againa selfish, willful little child. 

At last she tried no longer, but grew angry with the faithful flower, and would have torn it from her breast; but the fairy spell still heldit fast, and all her angry words but made it ring a louder, sadder peal. Then she paid no heed to the silvery music sounding in her ear, and eachday grew still more unhappy, discontented, and unkind; so, when theAutumn days came round, she was no better for the gentle Fairy's gift, and longed for Spring, that it might be returned; for now the constantecho of the mournful music made her very sad. 

One sunny morning, when the fresh, cool winds were blowing, and not acloud was in the sky, little Annie walked among her flowers, lookingcarefully into each, hoping thus to find the Fairy, who alone could takethe magic blossom from her breast. But she lifted up their droopingleaves, peeped into their dewy cups in vain; no little Elf lay hiddenthere, and she turned sadly from them all, saying: "I will go out intothe fields and woods, and seek her there. I will not listen to thistiresome music more, nor wear this withered flower longer. " So out intothe fields she went, where the long grass rustled as she passed, andtimid birds looked at her from their nests; where lovely wild flowersnodded in the wind, and opened wide their fragrant leaves to welcome inthe murmuring bees, while butterflies, like winged flowers, danced andglittered in the sun. 

Little Annie looked, searched, and asked them all if any one could tellher of the Fairy whom she sought; but the birds looked wonderingly ather with their soft, bright eyes, and still sang on; the flowers noddedwisely on their stems, but did not speak, while butterfly and bee buzzedand fluttered away, one far too busy, the other too idle, to stay andtell her what she asked. 

Then she went through broad fields of yellow grain that waved around herlike a golden forest; here crickets chirped, grasshoppers leaped, andbusy ants worked, but they could not tell her what she longed to know. 

"Now will I go among the hills, " said Annie, "she may be there. " So upand down the green hillsides went her little feet; long she searched andvainly she called; but still no Fairy came. Then by the riverside shewent, and asked the gay dragon flies and the cool white lilies if theFairy had been there; but the blue waves rippled on the white sand ather feet, and no voice answered her. 

Then into the forest little Annie went; and as she passed along the dim, cool paths, the wood-flowers smiled up in her face, gay squirrels peepedat her, as they swung amid the vines, and doves cooed softly as shewandered by; but none could answer her. So, weary with her long anduseless search, she sat amid the ferns, and feasted on the rosystrawberries that grew beside her, watching meanwhile the crimsonevening clouds that glowed around the setting sun. 

The night-wind rustled through the boughs, and when the autumn moon roseup, her silver light shone on the child, where, pillowed on green moss, she lay asleep amid the wood-flowers in the dim old forest. 

And all night long beside her stood the Fairy she had sought, and byelfin spell and charm sent to the sleeping child this dream. 

Little Annie dreamed she sat in her own garden, as she had often satbefore, with angry feelings in her heart, and unkind words upon herlips. The magic flower was ringing its soft warning, but she paid noheed to anything, save her own troubled thoughts; thus she sat, whensuddenly a low voice whispered in her ear: "Little Annie, look and seethe evil things that you are cherishing. "

Then Annie saw, with fear and wonder, that the angry words she utteredchanged to dark, unlovely forms, each showing plainly from what fault orpassion it had sprung. Some of the shapes had scowling faces and bright, fiery eyes; these were the spirits of Anger. Others, with sullen, anxious, looks seemed gathering up all they could reach, and Annie sawthat the more they gained, the less they seemed to have; and these sheknew were shapes of Selfishness. Spirits of Pride were there, who foldedtheir shadowy garments round them, and turned scornfully away from allthe rest. These and many others little Annie saw, which had come fromher own heart, and taken form before her eyes. 

When first she saw them, they were small and weak; but as she lookedthey seemed to grow and gather strength, and each gained a strange powerover her. She could not drive them from her sight, and they grew everstronger, darker, and more unlovely to her eyes. They seemed to castblack shadows over all around, to dim the sunshine, blight the flowers, and drive away all bright and lovely things; while rising slowly roundher Annie saw a high, dark wall, that seemed to shut out everything sheloved; she dared not move, or speak, but, with a strange fear at herheart, sat watching the dim shapes that hovered round her. 

Higher and higher rose the shadowy wall. Slowly the flowers near herdied, lingeringly the sunlight faded; but at last they both were gone, and left her all alone behind the gloomy wall. Then she could hear nomore, but, sinking down among the withered flowers, wept sad and bittertears, for her lost liberty and joy; then through the gloom there shonea faint, soft light, and on her breast she saw her fairy flower, uponwhose snow-white leaves her tears lay shining. 

Clearer and brighter grew the radiant light, till the evil spiritsturned away to the dark shadow of the wall, and left the child alone. 

The light and perfume of the flower seemed to bring new strength toAnnie, and she rose up, saying, as she bent to kiss the blossom on herbreast: "Dear flower, help and guide me now, and I will listen to yourvoice, and cheerfully obey my faithful fairy bell. "

Then in her dreams she felt how hard the spirits tried to tempt andtrouble her, and how, but for her flower, they would have led her back, and made all dark and dreary as before. Long and hard she struggled, andtears often fell; but after each new trial, brighter shone her magicflower, and sweeter grew its breath, while the spirits lost still moretheir power to tempt her. Meanwhile, green, flowering vines crept up thehigh, dark wall, and hid its roughness from her sight; and over theseshe watched most tenderly, for soon, wherever green leaves and flowersbloomed, the wall beneath grew weak, and fell apart. Thus little Annieworked and hoped, till one by one the evil spirits fled away, and intheir place came shining forms, with gentle eyes and smiling lips, whogathered round her with such loving words, and brought such strength andjoy to Annie's heart, that nothing evil dared to enter in; while slowlysank the gloomy wall, and, over wreaths of fragrant flowers, she passedout into the pleasant world again, the fairy gift no longer pale anddrooping, but now shining like a star upon her breast. 

Then the low voice spoke again in Annie's sleeping ear, saying:"Remember well the lesson of the dream, dear child, and let the shiningspirits make your heart their home. "

And with that voice sounding in her ear, little Annie woke to find itwas a dream; but like other dreams it did not pass away; and as she satalone, bathed in the rosy morning light, and watched the forest wakeninto life, she silently resolved to strive, as she had striven in herdream, to bring back light and beauty to its faded leaves, by being whatthe Fairy hoped to render her, a patient, gentle little child. And asthe thought came to her mind, the flower raised its drooping head, and, looking up into the earnest little face bent over it, seemed by itsfragrant breath to answer Annie's silent thought, and strengthen her forwhat might come. 

Meanwhile the forest was astir, birds sang their gay good-morrows fromtree to tree, while leaf and flower turned to greet the sun, who rose upsmiling on the world; and so beneath the forest boughs and through thedewy fields went little Annie home, better and wiser for her dream. 

 * * *

Autumn flowers were dead and gone, white winter snow fell softly down;yet now, when all without looked dark and dreary, on little Annie'sbreast the fairy flower bloomed more beautiful than ever. The memory ofher forest dream had never passed away, and through trial and temptationshe had been true, and kept her resolution still unbroken; seldom nowdid the warning bell sound in her ear, and seldom did the flower'sfragrance cease to float about her, or the fairy light to brighten allwhereon it fell. 

So, through the long, cold winter, little Annie dwelt like a sunbeam inher home, each day growing richer in the love of others, and happier inherself; often was she tempted, but, remembering her dream, she listenedonly to the music of the fairy bell, and the unkind thought or feelingfled away, the smiling spirits of gentleness and love nestled in herheart, and all was bright again. 

At length, one day, as she sat singing in the sunny nook where all herfairest flowers bloomed, weary with gazing at the far-off sky for thelittle forms she hoped would come, she bent to look with joyful loveupon her bosom flower; and as she looked, its folded leaves spread wideapart, and, rising slowly from the deep white cup, appeared the smilingface of the lovely Elf whose coming she had waited for so long. 

"Dear Annie, look for me no longer; I am here on your breast, for youhave learned to love my gift, and it has done its work most faithfullyand well, " the Fairy said, as she looked into the happy child's brightface, and laid her little arms most tenderly about her neck. 

"And now have I brought another gift from Fairy-land, as a fit rewardfor you, dear child, " she said, when Annie had told all her gratitudeand love; then, touching the child with her shining wand, the Fairy bidher look and listen silently. 

And suddenly the world, to Annie, seemed changed for the air was filledwith strange, sweet sounds, and all around her floated lovely forms. Inevery flower sat little smiling Elves, singing gayly as they rocked amidthe leaves. On every breeze, bright, airy spirits came floating by; somefanned her cheek with their cool breath, and waved her long hair to andfro, while others rang the flower-bells, and made a pleasant rustlingamong the leaves. In the fountain, where the water danced and sparkledin the sun, astride of every drop she saw merry little spirits, whoplashed and floated in the clear, cool waves, and sang as gayly as theflowers, on whom they scattered glittering dew. The tall trees, astheir branches rustled in the wind, sang a low, dreamy song, while thewaving grass was filled with little voices she had never heard before. Butterflies whispered lovely tales in her ear, and birds sang cheerfulsongs in a sweet language she had never understood before. Earth and airseemed filled with beauty and with music she had never dreamed of untilnow. 

"Oh, tell me what it means, dear Fairy! is it another and a lovelierdream, or is the earth in truth so beautiful as this?" she cried, looking with wondering joy upon the Elf, who lay upon the flower on herbreast. 

"Yes, it is true, dear child, " replied the Fairy, "and few are themortals to whom we give this lovely gift; what to you is now so full ofmusic and of light, to others is but a pleasant summer world; they neverknow the language of butterfly or bird or flower, and they are blindto all that I have given you the power to see. These fair things areyour friends and playmates now, and they will teach you many pleasantlessons, and give you many happy hours; while the garden where youonce sat, weeping sad and bitter tears, is now brightened by your ownhappiness, filled with loving friends by your own kindly thoughts andfeelings; and thus rendered a pleasant summer home for the gentle, happychild, whose bosom flower will never fade. And now, dear Annie, I mustgo; but every springtime, with the earliest flowers, will I come againto visit you, and bring some fairy gift. Guard well the magic flower, that I may find all fair and bright when next I come. "

Then, with a kind farewell, the gentle Fairy floated upward through thesunny air, smiling down upon the child, until she vanished in the soft, white clouds; and little Annie stood alone in her enchanted garden, where all was brightened with the radiant light, and fragrant with theperfume of her fairy flower. 

COMPANIONS

BY HELEN HUNT JACKSON

During the whole of one of a summer's hottest days I had the goodfortune to be seated in a railway car near a mother and four children, whose relations with each other were so beautiful that the pleasure ofwatching them was quite enough to make one forget the discomforts of thejourney. 

It was plain that they were poor; their clothes were coarse and old, andhad been made by inexperienced hands. The mother's bonnet alone wouldhave been enough to have condemned the whole party on any of the world'sthoroughfares. I remembered afterward, with shame, that I myself hadsmiled at the first sight of its antiquated ugliness; but her face wasone which it gave you a sense of rest to look upon--it was so earnest, tender, true, and strong. It had little comeliness of shape or color init, it was thin, and pale; she was not young; she had worked hard; shehad evidently been much ill; but I have seen few faces which gave mesuch pleasure. I think that she was the wife of a poor clergyman; and Ithink that clergyman must be one of the Lord's best watchmen of souls. The children--two boys and two girls--were all under the age of 12, andthe youngest could not speak plainly. They had had a rare treat; theyhad been visiting the mountains, and they were talking over all thewonders they had seen with a glow of enthusiastic delight which wasto be envied. Only a word-for-word record would do justice to theirconversation; no description could give any idea of it--so free, sopleasant, so genial, no interruptions, no contradictions; and themother's part borne all the while with such equal interest and eagernessthat no one not seeing her face would dream that she was any other thanan elder sister. 

In the course of the day there were many occasions when it was necessaryfor her to deny requests, and to ask services, especially from theeldest boy; but no young girl, anxious to please a lover, could havedone either with a more tender courtesy. She had her reward; for nolover could have been more tender and manly than was this boy of 12. Their lunch was simple and scanty; but it had the grace of a royalbanquet. At the last, the mother produced with much glee three applesand an orange, of which the children had not known. All eyes fastened onthe orange. It was evidently a great rarity. I watched to see if thistest would bring out selfishness. There was a little silence; just theshade of a cloud. The mother said: "How shall I divide this? There isone for each of you; and I shall be best off of all, for I expect bigtastes from each of you. "

"Oh, give Annie the orange. Annie loves oranges, " spoke out the oldestboy, with a sudden air of a conqueror, and at the same time taking thesmallest and worst apple himself. 

"Oh, yes, let Annie have the orange, " echoed the second boy, nine yearsold. 

"Yes, Annie may have the orange, because that is nicer than the apple, and she is a lady, and her brothers are gentlemen, " said the mother, quietly. Then there was a merry contest as to who should feed the motherwith largest and most frequent mouthfuls; and so the feast went on. ThenAnnie pretended to want an apple, and exchanged thin golden strips oforange for bites out of the cheeks of Baldwins; and, as I sat watchingher intently, she suddenly fancied she saw longing in my face, andsprang over to me, holding out a quarter of her orange, and saying, "Don't you want a taste, too?" The mother smiled, understandingly, whenI said, "No, I thank you, you dear, generous little girl; I don't careabout oranges. "

At noon we had a tedious interval of waiting at a dreary station. We satfor two hours on a narrow platform, which the sun had scorched till itsmelled of heat. The oldest boy--the little lover--held the youngestchild, and talked to her, while the tired mother closed her eyes andrested. Now and then he looked over at her, and then back at the baby;and at last he said confidentially to me (for we had become fast friendsby this time): "Isn't it funny, to think that I was ever so small asthis baby? And papa says that then mamma was almost a little girlherself. "

The two other children were toiling up and down the banks of therailroad track, picking ox-eye daisies, buttercups, and sorrel. Theyworked like beavers, and soon the bunches were almost too big for theirlittle hands. Then they came running to give them to their mother. "Oh, dear, " thought I, "how that poor, tired woman will hate to open hereyes! and she never can take those great bunches of common, fadingflowers, in addition to all her bundles and bags. " I was mistaken. 

"Oh, thank you, my darlings! How kind you were! Poor, hot, tired littleflowers, how thirsty they look! If they will only try and keep alivetill we get home, we will make them very happy in some water; won't we?And you shall put one bunch by papa's plate, and one by mine. "

Sweet and happy, the weary and flushed little children stood looking upin her face while she talked, their hearts thrilling with compassion forthe drooping flowers and with delight in the giving of their gift. Thenshe took great trouble to get a string and tie up the flowers, and thenthe train came, and we were whirling along again. Soon it grew dark, andlittle Annie's head nodded. Then I heard the mother say to the oldestboy, "Dear, are you too tired to let little Annie put her head on yourshoulder and take a nap? We shall get her home in much better ease tosee papa if we can manage to give her a little sleep. " How many boys oftwelve hear such words as these from tired, overburdened mothers?

Soon came the city, the final station, with its bustle and noise. Ilingered to watch my happy family, hoping to see the father. "Why, papaisn't here!" exclaimed one disappointed little voice after another. "Never mind, " said the mother, with a still deeper disappointment in herown tone; "perhaps he had to go to see some poor body who is sick. " Inthe hurry of picking up all the parcels, and the sleepy babies, the poordaisies and buttercups were left forgotten in a corner of the rack. Iwondered if the mother had not intended this. May I be forgiven for theinjustice! A few minutes after I passed the little group, standing stilljust outside the station, and heard the mother say, "Oh, my darlings, Ihave forgotten your pretty bouquets. I am so sorry! I wonder if I couldfind them if I went back. Will you all stand still if I go?"

"Oh, mamma, don't go, don't go. We will get you some more. Don't go, "cried all the children. 

"Here are your flowers, madam, " said I. "I saw that you had forgottenthem, and I took them as mementos of you and your sweet children. " Sheblushed and looked disconcerted. She was evidently unused to people, andshy with all but her children. However, she thanked me sweetly, andsaid:

"I was very sorry about them. The children took such trouble to getthem, and I think they will revive in water. They cannot be quite dead. "

"They will never die!" said I, with an emphasis which went from my heartto hers. Then all her shyness fled. She knew me; and we shook hands, andsmiled into each other's eyes with the smile of kindred as we parted. 

As I followed on, I heard the two children, who were walking behind, saying to each other: "Wouldn't that have been too bad? Mamma liked themso much, and we never could have got so many all at once again. "

"Yes, we could, too, next Summer, " said the boy, sturdily. 

They are sure of their "next summers, " I think, all six of thosesouls--children, and mother, and father. They may never again gather somany ox-eye daisies and buttercups "all at once. " Perhaps some of thelittle hands have already picked their last flowers. Nevertheless, theirsummers are certain. To such souls as these, all trees, either here orin God's larger country, are Trees of Life, with twelve manner of fruitsand leaves for healing; and it is but little change from the summershere, whose suns burn and make weary, to the summers there, of which"the Lamb is the light. "

PRINCE LITTLE BOY

BY S. WEIR MITCHELL

A great many children live on the borders of Fairy-land and never visitit at all, and really there are people who grow up and are not veryunhappy who will not believe they have lived near to it all their lives. But if once you have been in that pleasant country you never quiteforget it, and when some stupid man says, "It is all stuff andnonsense, " you do not say much, even if you yourself have come to be anold fellow with hair of two colors, but you feel proud to know how muchmore you have seen of the world than he has. Children are the besttravelers in Fairy-land, and there also is another kingdom which is easyfor them to reach and hard for some older folks. 

Once upon a time there was a small boy who lived so near to Fairy-landthat he sometimes got over the fence and inside of that lovely country, but, being a little afraid, never went very far, and was quick to runhome if he saw Blue Beard or an Ogre or even Goody Two-Shoes. Once ortwice he went a little farther, and saw things which may be seen but cannever be written. 

Sometimes he told his father that he had been into Fairy-land; but hisfather, who was a brick-maker and lived in the wood, only laughed, andcried aloud; "Next time you go, be sure to fetch back some fairy money. "

One day the small boy, whose real name was Little Boy, told his fatherthat he had gone a mile into Fairy-land, and that there the people wereborn old and grew younger all the time, and that on this account thehands of their clocks went backward. When his father heard this, he saidthat boy was only fit to sing songs and be in the sun, and would nevermake bricks worth a penny. Then he added, sharply, that his son must getto work at once and stop going over the fence to Fairy-land. So, afterthat, Little Boy was set to dig clay and make bricks for a palace whichthe King was building. He made a great many bricks of all colors, anddid seem to work so very hard that his father began to think he might intime come to make the best of bricks. But if you are making bricks youmust not even be thinking of fairies, because something is sure to getinto the bricks and spoil them for building anything except a Spanishcastle or a palace of Aladdin. 

I am sorry to say that while Little Boy made bricks and patted them welland helped to bake them hard he was forever thinking of a Fairy who hadkissed him one day in the wood. This was a very strange Fairy, large, with white limbs, and eyes which were full of joy for a child, but tosuch as being old looked upon them, were, as the poet says, "lakes ofsadness. " Perhaps, being little, you who read can understand this. Icannot; but whoever has once seen this Fairy loves the sun and the woodsand all living creatures, and knows things without being taught, andwhat men will say before they say it. Yet, while he knows all thesestrange things, and what birds talk about, and what songs the winds singto the trees, he can never make good bricks. 

And this was why Little Boy's bricks were badly made; on account ofwhich the King's palace, having many poor bricks in it, fell down onefine day and cracked the crowns of twenty-three courtiers and had liketo have killed the King himself. This made the King very angry, so heput on his crown and said wicked words, and told everybody he would giveone hundred pieces of gold to whoever would find the person who had madethe bad bricks. When Little Boy's father heard this, he knew it musthave been his son who was to blame. So he told his son that he had beenvery careless, and that surely the King would kill him, and that thebest thing he could do would be to run away and hide in Fairy-land. 

Little Boy was very badly scared, and was well pleased when his motherhad put some cakes and apples in a bag and slung it over his shoulderand told him to run quickly away; and this he was glad to do, because hesaw the King's soldiers coming over the hill to take him. When they cameto his father's house his father told them that it was his son who hadmade the bad bricks. After hearing this, they let the man go, and wentafter Little Boy. As their legs were long and his were short, they soongot very near to him, and he had just time to scramble over the fenceinto Fairy-land. Then the soldiers began to get over the fence, too; butat this moment the giant Fee-Faw-Fum came out of the wood, and said, ina voice that was as loud as the roar of the winds of a winter night:"What do you want here?" This gave them such a fright that they all satthere in a row on top of the fence like sparrows, and could not move fora week. You may be sure Little Boy did not stop to look at them, but ranaway, far away into Fairy-land. Of course, he soon got lost, because inthe geographies there is not a word about Fairy-land, and nobody knowseven what bounds it on the north. 

It is sad to be lost, but not in Fairy-land. The sooner you loseyourself, the happier you are. And then such queer things chance toyou--things no one could dream would happen. Mostly it is the childrenfor whom they occur, and the grown-up person who is quite happy in thisjoyous land is not often to be met with. Perhaps you think I will tellyou all about the fairy country. Not I, indeed. I have been there in mytime; but my travels there I cannot write, or else I might never beallowed to return again. 

By-and-by Little Boy grew tired and went into a deep wood and there satdown and ate a cake, and saw very soon that the squirrels were throwinghim nuts from the trees. Of course, as he was in Fairy-land, this wasjust what one might have expected. He tried to crack the nuts with histeeth, but could not, and this troubled the squirrels so much thatpresently nine of them came down and sat around him and began to cracknuts for him and to laugh. 

When Little Boy had finished his meal, he lay down and tried to go tosleep, for it was pleasant and warm, and the moss was soft to lie upon, and strange birds came and went and sang love-songs. But just as he wasalmost asleep he was shaken quite roughly, and when he looked up saw abeautiful Prince. 

"Ho! ho!" said the Prince, "I heard you getting ready to snore. A momentmore and I should have been too late. "

"How is that?" said Little Boy, "and who are you?"

"Sir, I am Fine Ear, and before things happen I hear them. Do not youknow, Fair Sir" (this is the way fairies speak), "that if you fallasleep the first day that you are in Fairy-land, it is years before youwake? Some people don't wake. "

Little Boy felt that he was in high society, so he said, politely:

"Gracious Prince, a million thanks; but how can I keep awake?"

"It is only for one night, young sir. Come with me. My sister, GoodyTwo-Shoes, lives close by, and she may help us. "

So they went along through the twilight and walked far, until Little Boywas ready to drop. At last Fine Ear said that as he heard his sisterbreathing, she could not be more than three miles away. As they climbeda great hill, it became dark, and Little Boy grew more and more sleepy, and could not see his way, and tumbled about so much that at last thePrince stood still and said: "My dear fellow, this won't do; you will bein Dream-land before I can pinch you. " Then he whistled, and a littlesilver star--a shining white light--fell out of the fairy sky and rolledbeside them, making all the road as bright as day, and quite waking upLittle Boy. 

After this they walked on, and the Prince said he would ask Jack theGiant-killer to supper. Little Boy replied that he would be proud tomeet him. Just as they came near to the house, which was built of pearlsand rubies, the Prince said: "Alas! here comes that tiresome fool, Humpty Dumpty. " When Little Boy looked, he saw a short man very crookedin the back, and with a head all to one side, not having been wellmended by the doctors, as you may recall. Also his mouth was very large, which was a pity, because when he stopped before them and bowed in apolite way, all of a sudden he opened this great mouth and gaped; andwhen poor, sleepy Little Boy saw this, what could he do but gape forcompany, and at once fall down sound asleep before the kind Prince couldmove?

"Alas! fool, " said Fine Ear, "why must you gape at a mortal? You knewwhat would happen. It was lucky you did not sneeze. "

Meanwhile, there lay Little Boy sound asleep, and what was to be done?At last he was carried into the house of Goody Two-Shoes and put on abed. Every one knew that he could not be waked up, and so they put fairyfood in his mouth twice a day, and just let him alone, so that forseveral years he slept soundly, and by reason of being fed with fairyfood grew tall and beautiful; what was more strange, his clothes grewalso. 

At the end of seven years a great Sayer of Sooth came by on his way tovisit his fairy godmother, and when he heard about Little Boy's sleep hestood still and uttered a loud Sooth. When Goody Two-Shoes heard it shewas sorry, because it was told her that Little Boy would never wakeuntil he was carried back to the country of mortals, when he would wakeup at once. Now by this time she had come to love him very much, and wassorry to part with him, because in seven years he had never spoken onecross word!

 [Illustration: "SHE PUT AROUND LITTLE BOY'S NECK A FAIRY KISS"]

But Sooths must be obeyed; so she sent for a gentle Giant, and told himto carry Little Boy to the Queen's tailor and to dress him like a fairyPrince, and to set him down on the roadside near his father's house. Then when the Giant took him up in his great arms, all sound asleep, sheput around Little Boy's neck a fairy kiss tied fast to a gold chain, andthis was for good luck. After this the Giant walked away, and GoodyTwo-Shoes went into the house and cried for two days and a night. 

When the Giant came to Common-Folks'-land, he laid Little Boy beside thehigh-road and went home. Toward evening, the King's daughter went by, and seeing Little Boy, who, as I have said, was now grown tall anddressed all in velvet and jewels, she came and stood by him, and whenshe saw the fairy kiss hanging around his neck she knelt down and kissedhim. Then all the old ladies cried, "Fy! for shame!" but you know shecould not help it. As for Little Boy, he kept ever so still, being nowwide awake, but having hopes that she would kiss him again, which shedid, twice. As he still seemed to sleep, he was put in the Princess'schariot and taken to the King's palace. 

At last, when every one had looked at him, they put him on a bed, andwhen morning came he opened his eyes, and began to walk around tostretch his legs. But as he went downstairs he met the King, who said tohim: "Fair Sir, what is the name of thy beautiful self?" To which heanswered: "I am called Prince Little Boy. " "Ha! ha!" said the King. "That was the name of the bad brick-maker. Perchance thou art he. " Thenhe called his guards, and Little Boy was at once shut up in a hugetower, for the King was not quite sure, or else he would have put him todeath at once. But after Little Boy had been there three days he put hishead out of a window and saw the Princess in the garden. Then he said:

"Sweet lady, look up. "

"Alas!" said she, "they have sent for thy mother, and if she says thouart Little Boy they will kill thee, and, alas! I love thee. "

"Ah!" he cried, "come to this tower at midnight, and cast me kisses amany through the night; blow a kiss to the north, blow a kiss to thesouth, to the east, to the west, from the flower of thy mouth and it maybe that one will float to Fairy-land and fetch us help, for if not, I bebut a dead man. "

All this she did because she was brave and loved him. She stood in thedark and blew kisses to the four winds, and then listened, and by and bycame a noise like great wings, and all the air was filled with strange, sweet odors, the like of which that Princess never smelled again. 

As for Little Boy, he was aware of a Giant who was as tall as the tower. "Sir, " said the Giant, "it is told me that you must keep your eyes shutuntil I bid them to open. I have brought the Kiss Queen to pay you avisit. No man has ever seen her; for if he did he could never, neverkiss or be kissed of any mortal lips. "

"Sir, " said Little Boy, "the Princess is more sweet than any that kissin Fairy-land. "

"Prince, " said the Giant, "your education has been but slight, or elseyou would know that all kisses are made in Fairy-land. But shut youreyes and stir not. "

Then Little Boy did close his two eyes. At once he felt a tiny kiss fromlips that might have been as long as one's fingernail, and once he waskissed on each cheek and once on his chin, and then he felt faint for amoment. All was still for a while, until the Giant said: "You are lucky. Open your eyes, Fair Sir, " and went away. 

Next day all the people came to see the King try Little Boy. When LittleBoy saw his mother he was almost ready to cry, but he kept still andwaited. Then the King said to her: "Tell me, is this your son? and donot deceive me, or dreadful things will happen to you and to him. "

At this the good woman looked at him with care. "This looks like myson, " she said; "but it is not my son, because this young man has adimple on each cheek and one on his chin. Who ever saw any one withthree dimples?"

When the King heard this and Little Boy's father declared also that hislost son had no dimples, the King bade them all go free, and said he hadbeen now nine years angry about those bricks, and that whoever wouldfind the bad brick-maker should marry the Princess. When Prince LittleBoy heard this he said that he was the bad boy who had made thosebricks. But the King was as good as his word, and ordered that thePrince should marry the Princess, and not have his head cut off, becausethe Princess did wisely say that a husband with no head wasn't much goodas a husband. Therefore they were married that minute, and I have heardthat they spent their honeymoon in Fairy-land. And this is the end ofthe Story of Prince Little Boy. 

THE BEE-MAN OF ORN[E]

BY FRANK R. STOCKTON

In the ancient country of Orn there lived an old man who was called theBee-man, because his whole time was spent in the company of bees. Helived in a small hut, which was nothing more than an immense bee-hive, for these little creatures had built their honeycombs in every corner ofthe one room it contained--on the shelves, under the little table, allabout the rough bench on which the old man sat, and even about thehead-board and along the sides of his low bed. 

All day the air of the room was thick with buzzing insects, but this didnot interfere in any way with the old Bee-man, who walked in among them, ate his meals, and went to sleep, without the slightest fear of beingstung. 

He had lived with the bees so long, they had become so accustomed tohim, and his skin was so tough and hard, that the bees no more thoughtof stinging him than they would of stinging a tree or a stone. A swarmof bees had made their hive in a pocket of his old leathern doublet; andwhen he put on this coat to take one of his long walks in the forest insearch of wild bees' nests, he was very glad to have this hive with him, for, if he did not find any wild honey, he would put his hand in hispocket and take out a piece of a comb for a luncheon. The bees in hispocket worked very industriously, and he was always certain of havingsomething to eat with him wherever he went. He lived principally uponhoney; and when he needed bread or meat, he carried some fine combs to avillage not far away and bartered them for other food. He was ugly, untidy, shrivelled, and brown. He was poor, and the bees seemed to behis only friends. But, for all that, he was happy and contented; he hadall the honey he wanted, and his bees, whom he considered the bestcompany in the world, were as friendly and sociable as they could be, and seemed to increase in number every day. 

One day there stopped at the hut of the Bee-man a Junior Sorcerer. Thisyoung person, who was a student of magic, was much interested in theBee-man, whom he had often noticed in his wanderings, and he consideredhim an admirable subject for study. He had got a great deal of usefulpractice by trying to find out, by the various rules and laws ofsorcery, exactly why the old Bee-man did not happen to be something thathe was not, and why he was what he happened to be. He had studied a longtime at this matter, and had found out something. 

"Do you know, " he said, when the Bee-man came out of his hut, "that youhave been transformed?"

"What do you mean by that?" said the other, much surprised. 

"You have surely heard of animals and human beings who have beenmagically transformed into different kinds of creatures?"

"Yes, I have heard of these things, " said the Bee-man; "but what have Ibeen transformed from?"

"That is more than I know, " said the Junior Sorcerer. "But one thing iscertain; you ought to be changed back. If you will find out what youhave been transformed from, I will see that you are made all rightagain. Nothing would please me better than to attend to such a case. "

And, having a great many things to study and investigate, the JuniorSorcerer went his way. 

This information greatly disturbed the mind of the Bee-man. If he hadbeen changed from something else, he ought to be that other thing, whatever it was. He ran after the young man, and overtook him. 

"If you know, kind sir, " he said, "that I have been transformed, yousurely are able to tell me what it is that I was. "

"No, " said the Junior Sorcerer, "my studies have not proceeded farenough for that. When I become a Senior I can tell you all about it. But, in the meantime, it will be well for you to try to find out foryourself your original form; and when you have done that, I will getsome of the learned masters of my art to restore you to it. It will beeasy enough to do that, but you could not expect them to take the timeand trouble to find out what it was. "

And, with these words, he hurried away, and was soon lost to view. 

Greatly disturbed, the Bee-man retraced his steps, and went to his hut. Never before had he heard anything which had so troubled him. 

"I wonder what I was transformed from?" he thought, seating himself onhis rough bench. "Could it have been a giant, or a powerful prince, orsome gorgeous being whom the magicians or the fairies wished to punish?It may be that I was a dog or a horse, or perhaps a fiery dragon or ahorrid snake. I hope it was not one of these. But whatever it was, everyone has certainly a right to his original form, and I am resolvedto find out mine. I will start early to-morrow morning; and I am sorrynow that I have not more pockets to my old doublet, so that I mightcarry more bees and more honey for my journey. "

He spent the rest of the day in making a hive of twigs and straw; and, having transferred to this a number of honeycombs and a colony of beeswhich had just swarmed, he rose before sunrise the next day, and havingput on his leathern doublet and having bound his new hive to his back, he set forth on his quest, the bees who were to accompany him buzzingaround him like a cloud. 

As the Bee-man pressed through the little village the people greatlywondered at his queer appearance, with the hive upon his back. "TheBee-man is going on a long journey this time, " they said; but no oneimagined the strange business on which he was bent. 

About noon he sat down under a tree, near a beautiful meadow coveredwith blossoms, and ate a little honey. Then he untied his hive andstretched himself out on the grass to rest. As he gazed upon his beeshovering about him, some going out to the blossoms in the sunshine, andsome returning laden with the sweet pollen, he said to himself: "Theyknow just what they have to do, and they do it; but alas for me! I knownot what I may have to do. And yet, whatever it may be, I am determinedto do it. In some way or other I will find out what was my originalform, and then I will have myself changed back to it. "

And now the thought came to him that perhaps his original form mighthave been something very disagreeable, or even horrid. 

"But it does not matter, " he said sturdily. "Whatever I was that shall Ibe again. It is not right for anyone to keep a form which does notproperly belong to him. I have no doubt I shall discover my originalform in the same way that I find the trees in which the wild bees hive. When I first catch sight of a bee tree I am drawn toward it, I know nothow. Something says to me: 'That is what you are looking for. ' In thesame way I believe that I shall find my original form. When I see it, Ishall be drawn toward it. Something will say to me: 'That is it. '"

When the Bee-man was rested he started off again, and in about an hourhe entered a fair domain. Around him were beautiful lawns, grand trees, and lovely gardens; while at a little distance stood the stately palaceof the Lord of the Domain. Richly dressed people were walking about orsitting in the shade of the trees and arbors; splendidly equipped horseswere waiting for their riders; and everywhere were seen signs of wealthand gayety. 

"I think, " said the Bee-man to himself, "that I should like to stop herefor a time. If it should happen that I was originally like any of thesehappy creatures it would please me much. "

He untied his hive, and hid it behind some bushes, and, taking off hisold doublet, laid that beside it. It would not do to have his beesflying about him if he wished to go among the inhabitants of this fairdomain. 

For two days the Bee-man wandered about the palace and its grounds, avoiding notice as much as possible, but looking at everything. He sawhandsome men and lovely ladies; the finest horses, dogs, and cattle thatwere ever known; beautiful birds in cages, and fishes in crystal globes;and it seemed to him that the best of all living-things were herecollected. 

At the close of the second day the Bee-man said to himself: "There isone being here toward whom I feel very much drawn, and that is the Lordof the Domain. I cannot feel certain that I was once like him, but itwould be a very fine thing if it were so; and it seems impossible for meto be drawn toward any other being in the domain when I look upon him, so handsome, rich, and powerful. But I must observe him more closely, and feel more sure of the matter, before applying to the sorcerers tochange me back into a lord of a fair domain. "

The next morning the Bee-man saw the Lord of the Domain walking in hisgardens. He slipped along the shady paths, and followed him so as toobserve him closely, and find out if he were really drawn toward thisnoble and handsome being. The Lord of the Domain walked on for sometime, not noticing that the Bee-man was behind him. But suddenlyturning, he saw the little old man. 

"What are you doing here, you vile beggar?" he cried; and he gave him akick that sent him into some bushes which grew by the side of the path. 

The Bee-man scrambled to his feet, and ran as fast as he could to theplace where he had hidden his hive and his old doublet. 

"If I am certain of anything, " he thought, "it is that I was never aperson who would kick a poor old man. I will leave this place. I wastransformed from nothing that I see here. "

He now traveled for a day or two longer, and then he came to a greatblack mountain, near the bottom of which was an opening like the mouthof a cave. 

 [Illustration: "HE WAS EXTREMELY LIVELY AND ACTIVE, AND CAME BOUNDING TOWARD THEM"]

This mountain he had heard was filled with caverns and undergroundpassages, which were the abodes of dragons, evil spirits, and horridcreatures of all kinds. 

"Ah me!" said the Bee-man with a sigh, "I suppose I ought to visit thisplace. If I am going to do this thing properly, I should look on allsides of the subject, and I may have been one of those horrid creaturesmyself. "

Thereupon he went to the mountain, and as he approached the opening ofthe passage which led into its inmost recesses, he saw, sitting upon theground, and leaning his back against a tree, a Languid Youth. 

"Good-day, " said this individual when he saw the Bee-man. "Are you goinginside?"

"Yes, " said the Bee-man, "that is what I intend to do. "

"Then, " said the Languid Youth, slowly rising to his feet, "I think Iwill go with you. I was told that if I went in there I should get myenergies toned up, and they need it very much; but I did not feel equalto entering by myself, and I thought I would wait until some one camealong. I am very glad to see you, and we will go in together. "

So the two went into the cave, and they had proceeded but a shortdistance when they met a very little creature, whom it was easy torecognize as a Very Imp. He was about two feet high, and resembled incolor a freshly polished pair of boots. He was extremely lively andactive, and came bounding toward them. 

"What did you two people come here for?" he asked. 

"I came, " said the Languid Youth, "to have my energies toned up. "

"You have come to the right place, " said the Very Imp. "We will tone youup. And what does that old Bee-man want?"

"He has been transformed from something, and wants to find out what itis. He thinks he may have been one of the things in here. "

"I should not wonder if that were so, " said the Very Imp, rolling hishead on one side, and eying the Bee-man with a critical gaze. 

"All right, " said the Very Imp; "he can go around, and pick out hisprevious existence. We have here all sorts of vile creepers, crawlers, hissers, and snorters. I suppose he thinks anything will be better thana Bee-man. "

"It is not because I want to be better than I am, " said the Bee-man, "that I started out on this search. I have simply an honest desire tobecome what I originally was. "

"Oh; that is it, is it?" said the other. "There is an idiotic moon-calfhere with a clam head, which must be just what you used to be. "

"Nonsense, " said the Bee-man. "You have not the least idea what anhonest purpose is. I shall go about and see for myself. "

"Go ahead, " said the Very Imp, "and I will attend to this fellow whowants to be toned up. " So saying he joined the Languid Youth. 

"Look here, " said the Youth, "do you black and shine yourself everymorning?"

"No, " said the other, "it is water-proof varnish. You want to beinvigorated, don't you? Well, I will tell you a splendid way to begin. You see that Bee-man has put down his hive and his coat with the bees init. Just wait till he gets out of sight, and then catch a lot of thosebees, and squeeze them flat. If you spread them on a sticky rag, andmake a plaster, and put it on the small of your back, it will invigorateyou like everything, especially if some of the bees are not quite dead. "

"Yes, " said the Languid Youth, looking at him with his mild eyes, "butif I had energy enough to catch a bee I would be satisfied. Suppose youcatch a lot for me. "

"The subject is changed, " said the Very Imp. "We are now about to visitthe spacious chamber of the King of the Snap-dragons. "

"That is a flower, " said the Languid Youth. 

"You will find him a gay old blossom, " said the other. "When he haschased you round his room, and has blown sparks at you, and has snortedand howled, and cracked his tail, and snapped his jaws like a pair ofanvils, your energies will be toned up higher than ever before in yourlife. "

"No doubt of it, " said the Languid Youth; "but I think I will begin withsomething a little milder. "

"Well, then, " said the other, "there is a flat-tailed Demon of the Gorgein here. He is generally asleep, and, if you say so, you can slip intothe farthest corner of his cave, and I'll solder his tail to theopposite wall. Then he will rage and roar, but he can't get at you, forhe doesn't reach all the way across his cave; I have measured him. Itwill tone you up wonderfully to sit there and watch him. "

"Very likely, " said the Languid Youth; "but I would rather stay outsideand let you go up in the corner. The performance in that way will bemore interesting to me. "

"You are dreadfully hard to please, " said the Very Imp. "I have offeredthem to you loose, and I offered them fastened to a wall, and now thebest thing I can do is to give you a chance at one of them that can'tmove at all. It is the Ghastly Griffin, and is enchanted. He can't stirso much as the tip of his whiskers for a thousand years. You can go tohis cave and examine him just as if he were stuffed, and then you cansit on his back and think how it would be if you should live to be athousand years old, and he should wake up while you are sitting there. It would be easy to imagine a lot of horrible things he would do to youwhen you look at his open mouth with its awful fangs, his dreadfulclaws, and his horrible wings all covered with spikes. "

"I think that might suit me, " said the Languid Youth. "I would muchrather imagine the exercises of these monsters than to see them reallygoing on. "

"Come on, then, " said the Very Imp; and he led the way to the cave ofthe Ghastly Griffin. 

The Bee-man went by himself through a great part of the mountain, andlooked into many of its gloomy caves and recesses, recoiling in horrorfrom most of the dreadful monsters who met his eyes. While he waswandering about, an awful roar was heard resounding through the passagesof the mountain, and soon there came flapping along an enormous dragon, with body black as night, and wings and tail of fiery red. In his greatfore-claws he bore a little baby. 

"Horrible!" exclaimed the Bee-man. "He is taking that little creature tohis cave to devour it. "

He saw the dragon enter a cave not far away, and, following, looked in. The dragon was crouched upon the ground with the little baby lyingbefore him. It did not seem to be hurt, but was frightened and crying. The monster was looking upon it with delight, as if he intended to makea dainty meal of it as soon as his appetite should be a little stronger. 

"It is too bad!" thought the Bee-man. "Somebody ought to do something. "And turning around, he ran away as fast as he could. 

He ran through various passages until he came to the spot where he hadleft his bee-hive. Picking it up, he hurried back, carrying the hive inhis two hands before him. When he reached the cave of the dragon, helooked in and saw the monster still crouched over the weeping child. Without a moment's hesitation, the Bee-man rushed into the cave andthrew his hive straight into the face of the dragon. The bees, enragedby the shock, rushed upon the head, mouth, eyes, and nose of the dragon. 

The great monster, astounded by this sudden attack, and driven almostwild by the numberless stings of the bees, sprang back to the farthestcorner of his cave, still followed by the bees, at whom he flappedwildly with his great wings and struck with his paws. While the dragonwas thus engaged with the bees, the Bee-man rushed forward, and seizingthe child, he hurried away. He did not stop to pick up his doublet, butkept on until he saw the Very Imp hopping along on one leg, and rubbinghis back and shoulders with his hands, and stopped to inquire what wasthe matter, and what had become of the Languid Youth. 

"He is no kind of a fellow, " said the Very Imp. "He disappointed medreadfully. I took him up to the Ghastly Griffin, and told him the thingwas enchanted, and that he might sit on its back and think about what itcould do if it was awake; and when he came near it the wretched creatureopened its eyes, and raised its head, and then you ought to have seenhow mad that simpleton was. He made a dash at me and seized me by theears; he kicked and beat me till I can scarcely move. "

"His energies must have been toned up a good deal, " said the Bee-man. 

"Toned up! I should say so!" cried the other. "I raised a howl, and aScissor-jawed Clipper came out of his hole, and got after him; but thatlazy fool ran so fast that he could not be caught. "

The Bee-man now ran on and soon overtook the Languid Youth. 

"You need not be in a hurry now, " said the latter, "for the rules ofthis institution don't allow the creatures inside to come out of thisopening, or to hang around it. If they did, they would frighten awayvisitors. They go in and out of holes in the upper part of themountain. "

The two proceeded on their way. 

"What are you going to do with that baby?" said the Languid Youth. 

"I shall carry it along with me, " said the Bee-man, "as I go on with mysearch, and perhaps I may find its mother. If I do not, I shall give itto somebody in that little village yonder. Anything would be better thanleaving it to be devoured by that horrid dragon. "

"Let me carry it, I feel quite strong enough now to carry a baby. "

"Thank you, " said the Bee-man; "but I can take it myself. I like tocarry something, and I have now neither my hive nor my doublet. "

"It is very well that you had to leave them behind, " said the Youth, "for the bees would have stung the baby. "

"My bees never sting babies, " said the other. 

"They probably never had a chance, " remarked his companion. 

They soon entered the village, and after walking a short distance theYouth exclaimed: "Do you see that woman over there sitting at the doorof her house? She has beautiful hair, and she is tearing it all topieces. She should not be allowed to do that. "

"No, " said the Bee-man. "Her friends should tie her hands. "

"Perhaps she is the mother of this child, " said the Youth, "and if yougive it to her she will no longer think of tearing her hair. "

"But, " said the Bee-man, "you don't really think this is her child?"

"Suppose you go over and see, " said the other. 

The Bee-man hesitated a moment, and then he walked toward the woman. Hearing him coming, she raised her head, and when she saw the child sherushed toward it, snatched it into her arms, and screaming with joy shecovered it with kisses. Then with happy tears she begged to know thestory of the rescue of her child, whom she never expected to see again;and she loaded the Bee-man with thanks and blessings. The friends andneighbors gathered around, and there was great rejoicing. The motherurged the Bee-man and the Youth to stay with her, and rest and refreshthemselves, which they were glad to do, as they were tired and hungry. 

They remained at the cottage all night, and in the afternoon of the nextday the Bee-man said to the Youth: "It may seem an odd thing to you, butnever in all my life have I felt myself drawn toward any living being asI am drawn toward this baby. Therefore I believe that I have beentransformed from a baby. "

"Good!" cried the Youth. "It is my opinion that you have hit the truth. And now would you like to be changed back to your original form?"

"Indeed I would!" said the Bee-man. "I have the strongest yearning to bewhat I originally was. "

The Youth, who had now lost every trace of languid feeling, took a greatinterest in the matter, and early the next morning started off to tellthe Junior Sorcerer that the Bee-man had discovered what he had beentransformed from, and desired to be changed back to it. 

The Junior Sorcerer and his learned Masters were filled with delightwhen they heard this report, and they at once set out for the mother'scottage. And there by magic arts the Bee-man was changed back into ababy. The mother was so grateful for what the Bee-man had done for herthat she agreed to take charge of this baby, and to bring it up as herown. 

"It will be a grand thing for him, " said the Junior Sorcerer, "and I amglad that I studied his case. He will now have a fresh start in life, and will have a chance to become something better than a miserable oldman living in a wretched hut with no friends or companions but buzzingbees. "

The Junior Sorcerer and his Masters then returned to their homes, happyin the success of their great performance; and the Youth went back tohis home anxious to begin a life of activity and energy. 

Years and years afterward, when the Junior Sorcerer had become a Seniorand was very old indeed, he passed through the country of Orn, andnoticed a small hut about which swarms of bees were flying. Heapproached it, and looking in at the door he saw an old man in aleathern doublet, sitting at a table, eating honey. By his magic art heknew this was the baby which had been transformed from the Bee-man. 

"Upon my word!" exclaimed the Sorcerer, "he has grown into the samething again!"

 [E] From "The Bee-Man of Orn, and Other Fanciful Tales"; copyright, 1887, by Charles Scribner's Sons. Used by permission of the publishers. 

THE POT OF GOLD[F]

BY MARY E. WILKINS FREEMAN

The Flower family lived in a little house in a broad grassy meadow, which sloped a few rods from their front door down to a gentle, silveryriver. Right across the river rose a lovely dark green mountain, andwhen there was a rainbow, as there frequently was, nothing could havelooked more enchanting than it did rising from the opposite bank of thestream with the wet, shadowy mountain for a background. All the Flowerfamily would invariably run to their front windows and their door to seeit. 

The Flower family numbered nine: Father and Mother Flower and sevenchildren. Father Flower was an unappreciated poet, Mother Flower wasvery much like all mothers, and the seven children were very sweet andinteresting. Their first names all matched beautifully with their lastname, and with their personal appearance. For instance, the oldest girl, who had soft blue eyes and flaxen curls, was called Flax Flower: thelittle boy, who came next, and had very red cheeks and loved to sleeplate in the morning, was called Poppy Flower, and so on. This charmingsuitableness of their names was owing to Father Flower. He had a theorythat a great deal of the misery and discord in the world comes fromthings not matching properly as they should; and he thought thereought to be a certain correspondence between all things that were injuxtaposition to each other, just as there ought to be between the lasttwo words of a couplet of poetry. But he found, very often, there was nocorrespondence at all, just as words in poetry do not always rhyme whenthey should. However, he did his best to remedy it. He saw that everyone of his children's names was suitable and accorded with theirpersonal characteristics; and in his flower-garden--for he raisedflowers for the market--only those of complementary colors were allowedto grow in adjoining beds, and, as often as possible, they rhymed intheir names. But that was a more difficult matter to manage, and veryfew flowers were rhymed, or, if they were, none rhymed correctly. He hada bed of box next to one of phlox, and a trellis of woodbine grew nextto one of eglantine, and a thicket of elderblows was next to one ofrose; but he was forced to let his violets and honeysuckles and manyothers go entirely unrhymed--this disturbed him considerably, but hereflected that it was not his fault, but that of the man who made thelanguage and named the different flowers--he should have looked to itthat those of complementary colors had names to rhyme with each other, then all would have been harmonious and as it should have been. 

Father Flower had chosen this way of earning his livelihood when herealized that he was doomed to be an unappreciated poet, because itsuited so well with his name; and if the flowers had only rhymed alittle better he would have been very well contented. As it was, henever grumbled. He also saw to it that the furniture in his little houseand the cooking utensils rhymed as nearly as possible, though that toowas oftentimes a difficult matter to bring about, and required a vastdeal of thought and hard study. The table always stood under the gableend of the roof, the foot-stool always stood where it was cool, and thebig rocking-chair in a glare of sunlight; the lamp, too, he kept downcellar where it was damp. But all these were rather far-fetched, andsometimes quite inconvenient. Occasionally there would be an articlethat he could not rhyme until he had spent years of thought over it, andwhen he did it would disturb the comfort of the family greatly. Therewas the spider. He puzzled over that exceedingly, and when he rhymed itat last, Mother Flower or one of the little girls had always to takethe spider beside her, when she sat down, which was of course quitetroublesome. The kettle he rhymed first with nettle, and hung a bunchof nettle over it, till all the children got dreadfully stung. Then hetried settle, and hung the kettle over the settle. But that was no placefor it; they had to go without their tea, and everybody who sat on thesettle bumped his head against the kettle. At last it occurred to FatherFlower that if he should make a slight change in the language the kettlecould rhyme with the skillet, and sit beside it on the stove, as itought, leaving harmony out of the question, to do. Accordingly all thechildren were instructed to call the skillet a skettle, and the kettlestood by its side on the stove ever afterward. 

The house was a very pretty one, although it was quite rude and verysimple. It was built of logs and had a thatched roof, which projectedfar out over the walls. But it was all overrun with the loveliestflowering vines imaginable, and, inside, nothing could have been moreexquisitely neat and homelike; although there was only one room and alittle garret over it. All around the house were the flower-beds and thevine-trellises and the blooming shrubs, and they were always in the mostbeautiful order. Now, although all this was very pretty to see, andseemingly very simple to bring to pass, yet there was a vast deal oflabor in it for some one; for flowers do not look so trim and thrivingwithout tending, and houses do not look so spotlessly clean withoutconstant care. All the Flower family worked hard; even the littlestchildren had their daily tasks set them. The oldest girl, especially, little Flax Flower, was kept busy from morning till night taking care ofher younger brothers and sisters, and weeding flowers. But for all thatshe was a very happy little girl, as indeed were the whole family, asthey did not mind working, and loved each other dearly. 

Father Flower, to be sure, felt a little sad sometimes; for, althoughhis lot in life was a pleasant one, it was not exactly what he wouldhave chosen. Once in a while he had a great longing for somethingdifferent. He confided a great many of his feelings to Flax Flower; shewas more like him than any of the other children, and could understandhim even better than his wife, he thought. 

One day, when there had been a heavy shower and a beautiful rainbow, heand Flax were out in the garden tying up some rose-bushes, which therain had beaten down, and he said to her how he wished he could find thePot of Gold at the end of the rainbow. Flax, if you will believe me, had never heard of it; so he had to tell her all about it, and also saya little poem he had made about it to her. 

The poem ran something in this way:

 O what is it shineth so golden-clear At the rainbow's foot on the dark green hill? 'Tis the Pot of Gold, that for many a year Has shone, and is shining and dazzling still. And whom is it for, O Pilgrim, pray? For thee, Sweetheart, shouldst thou go that way. 

Flax listened with her soft blue eyes very wide open. "I suppose if weshould find that pot of gold it would make us very rich, wouldn't it, father?" said she. 

"Yes, " replied her father; "we could then have a grand house, and keep agardener, and a maid to take care of the children, and we should nolonger have to work so hard. " He sighed as he spoke, and tears stood inhis gentle blue eyes, which were very much like Flax's. "However, weshall never find it, " he added. 

"Why couldn't we run ever so fast when we saw the rainbow, " inquiredFlax, "and get the Pot of Gold?"

"Don't be foolish, child!" said her father; "you could not possiblyreach it before the rainbow was quite faded away!"

"True, " said Flax, but she fell to thinking as she tied up the drippingroses. 

The next rainbow they had she eyed very closely, standing out on thefront doorstep in the rain, and she saw that one end of it seemed totouch the ground at the foot of a pine-tree on the side of the mountain, which was quite conspicuous amongst its fellows, it was so tall. Theother end had nothing especial to mark it. 

"I will try the end where the tall pine-tree is first, " said Flax toherself, "because that will be the easiest to find--if the Pot of Goldisn't there I will try to find the other end. "

A few days after that it was very hot and sultry, and at noon thethunder heads were piled high all around the horizon. 

"I don't doubt but we shall have showers this afternoon, " said FatherFlower, when he came in from the garden for his dinner. 

After the dinner-dishes were washed up, and the baby rocked to sleep, Flax came to her mother with a petition. 

"Mother, " said she, "won't you give me a holiday this afternoon?"

"Why, where do you want to go, Flax?" said her mother. 

"I want to go over on the mountain and hunt for wild flowers, " repliedFlax. 

"But I think it is going to rain, child, and you will get wet. "

"That won't hurt me any, mother, " said Flax, laughing. 

"Well, I don't know as I care, " said her mother, hesitatingly. "You havebeen a very good industrious girl, and deserve a little holiday. Onlydon't go so far that you cannot soon run home if a shower should comeup. "

So Flax curled her flaxen hair and tied it up with a blue ribbon, andput on her blue and white checked dress. By the time she was ready to gothe clouds over in the northwest were piled up very high and black, andit was quite late in the afternoon. Very likely her mother would nothave let her go if she had been at home, but she had taken the baby, whohad waked from his nap, and gone to call on her nearest neighbor, half amile away. As for her father, he was busy in the garden, and all theother children were with him, and they did not notice Flax when shestole out of the front door. She crossed the river on a pretty archedstone bridge nearly opposite the house, and went directly into the woodson the side of the mountain. 

Everything was very still and dark and solemn in the woods. They knewabout the storm that was coming. Now and then Flax heard the leavestalking in queer little rustling voices. She inherited the ability tounderstand what they said from her father. They were talking to eachother now in the words of her father's song. Very likely he had heardthem saying it sometime, and that was how he happened to know it. 

 "O what is it shineth so golden-clear At the rainbow's foot on the dark green hill?"

Flax heard the maple-leaves inquire. And the pine-leaves answered back:

 "'Tis the Pot of Gold, that for many a year Has shone, and is shining and dazzling still. "

Then the maple-leaves asked:

 "And whom is it for, O Pilgrim, pray?"

And the pine-leaves answered:

 "For thee, Sweetheart, shouldst thou go that way. "

Flax did not exactly understand the sense of the last question andanswer between maple and pine-leaves. But they kept on saying itover and over as she ran along. She was going straight to the tallpine-tree. She knew just where it was, for she had often been there. Nowthe rain-drops began to splash through the green boughs, and the thunderrolled along the sky. The leaves all tossed about in a strong wind andtheir soft rustles grew into a roar, and the branches and the whole treecaught it up and called out so loud, as they writhed and twisted aboutthat Flax was almost deafened, the words of the song:

 "O what is it shineth so golden-clear?"

Flax sped along through the wind and the rain and the thunder. She wasvery much afraid that she should not reach the tall pine which was quitea way distant before the sun shone out, and the rainbow came. 

The sun was already breaking through the clouds when she came in sightof it, way up above her on a rock. The rain-drops on the trees began toshine like diamonds, and the words of the song rushed out from theirmidst, louder and sweeter:

 "O what is it shineth so golden-clear?"

Flax climbed for dear life. Red and green and golden rays were alreadyfalling thick around her, and at the foot of the pine-tree something wasshining wonderfully clear and bright. 

At last she reached it, and just at that instant the rainbow became aperfect one, and there at the foot of the wonderful arch of glory wasthe Pot of Gold. Flax could see it brighter than all the brightness ofthe rainbow. She sank down beside it and put her hand on it, then sheclosed her eyes and sat still, bathed in red and green and violetlight--that, and the golden light from the Pot, made her blind anddizzy. As she sat there with her hand on the Pot of Gold at the footof the rainbow, she could hear the leaves over her singing louder andlouder, till the tones fairly rushed like a wind through her ears. Butthis time they only sang the last words of the song:

 "And whom is it for, O Pilgrim, pray? For thee, Sweetheart, shouldst thou go that way. "

At last she ventured to open her eyes. The rainbow had faded almostentirely away, only a few tender rose and green shades were arching overher; but the Pot of Gold under her hand was still there, and shiningbrighter than ever. All the pine needles with which the ground around itwas thickly spread, were turned to needles of gold, and some straycouplets of leaves which were springing up through them were all gilded. 

Flax bent over it trembling and lifted the lid off the pot. Sheexpected, of course, to find it full of gold pieces that would buy thegrand house and the gardener and the maid that her father had spokenabout. But to her astonishment, when she had lifted the lid off and bentover the Pot to look into it, the first thing she saw was the face ofher mother looking out of it at her. It was smaller of course, but justthe same loving, kindly face she had left at home. Then, as she lookedlonger, she saw her father smiling gently up at her, then came Poppy andthe baby and all the rest of her dear little brothers and sisterssmiling up at her out of the golden gloom inside the Pot. At last sheactually saw the garden and her father in it tying up the roses, and thepretty little vine-covered house, and, finally, she could see right intothe dear little room where her mother sat with the baby in her lap, andall the others around her. 

Flax jumped up. "I will run home, " said she, "it is late, and I do wantto see them all dreadfully. "

So she left the Golden Pot shining all alone under the pine-tree, andran home as fast as she could. 

When she reached the house it was almost twilight, but her father wasstill in the garden. Every rose and lily had to be tied up after theshower, and he was but just finishing. He had the tin milk pan hung onhim like a shield, because it rhymed with man. It certainly was abeautiful rhyme, but it was very inconvenient. Poor Mother Flower was ather wits' end to know what to do without it, and it was very awkward forFather Flower to work with it fastened to him. 

Flax ran breathlessly into the garden, and threw her arms around herfather's neck and kissed him. She bumped her nose against the milk pan, but she did not mind that; she was so glad to see him again. Somehow, she never remembered being so glad to see him as she was now since shehad seen his face in the Pot of Gold. 

"Dear father, " cried she, "how glad I am to see you! I found the Pot ofGold at the end of the rainbow!"

Her father stared at her in amazement. 

"Yes, I did, truly, father, " said she. "But it was not full of gold, after all. You were in it, and mother and the children and the house andgarden and--everything. "

"You were mistaken, dear, " said her father, looking at her with hisgentle, sorrowful eyes. "You could not have found the true end of therainbow, nor the true Pot of Gold--that is surely full of the mostbeautiful gold pieces, with an angel stamped on every one. "

"But I did, father, " persisted Flax. 

"You had better go into your mother, Flax, " said her father; "she willbe anxious to see you. I know better than you about the Pot of Gold atthe end of the rainbow. "

So Flax went sorrowfully into the house. There was the tea-kettlesinging beside the "skettle, " which had some nice smelling soup in it, the table was laid for supper, and there sat her mother with the baby inher lap and the others all around her--just as they had looked in thePot of Gold. 

Flax had never been so glad to see them before--and if she didn't hugand kiss them all!

"I found the Pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow, mother, " cried she, "and it was not full of gold, at all; but you and father and thechildren looked out of it at me, and I saw the house and garden andeverything in it. "

Her mother looked at her lovingly. "Yes, Flax dear, " said she. 

"But father said I was mistaken, " said Flax, "and did not find it. "

"Well dear, " said her mother, "your father is a poet, and very wise; wewill say no more about it. You can sit down here and hold the baby now, while I make the tea. "

Flax was perfectly ready to do that; and, as she sat there with herdarling little baby brother crowing in her lap, and watched her prettylittle brothers and sisters and her dear mother, she felt so happy thatshe did not care any longer whether she found the true Pot of Gold ornot. 

But, after all, do you know, I think her father was mistaken, and thatshe had. 

 [F] From "The Pot of Gold and Other Stories, " by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, published by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company; used by special arrangement. 

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration: VERSES ABOUT FAIRIES]

THE FAIRY THORN

_An Ulster Ballad_

BY SAMUEL FERGUSON

 "Get up, our Anna dear, from the weary spinning wheel, For your father's on the hill, and your mother is asleep: Come up above the crags, and we'll dance a Highland reel Around the fairy thorn on the steep. "

 At Anna Grace's door, 't was thus the maidens cried-- Three merry maidens fair, in kirtles of the green; And Anna laid the sock and the weary wheel aside-- The fairest of the four, I ween. 

 They're glancing through the glimmer of the quiet eve, Away in milky wavings of the neck and ankle bare; The heavy-sliding stream in its sleepy song they leave, And the crags in the ghostly air;

 And linking hand in hand, and singing as they go, The maids along the hillside have ta'en their fearless way, Till they come to where the rowan trees in lonely beauty grow Beside the Fairy Hawthorn gray. 

 The Hawthorn stands between the ashes tall and slim, Like matron with her twin grand-daughters at her knee; The rowan berries cluster o'er her low head, gray and dim, In ruddy kisses sweet to see. 

 The merry maidens four have ranged them in a row, Between each lovely couple a stately rowan stem; And away in mazes wavy, like skimming birds, they go-- Oh, never carroled bird like them!

 But solemn is the silence of the silvery haze, That drinks away their voices in echoless repose; And dreamily the evening has stilled the haunted braes, And dreamier the gloaming grows. 

 And sinking, one by one, like lark-notes from the sky, When the falcon's shadow saileth across the open shaw, Are hushed the maidens' voices, as cowering down they lie In the flutter of their sudden awe. 

 For, from the air above, and the grassy ground beneath, And from the mountain-ashes and the old white thorn between, A power of faint enchantment doth through their beings breathe, And they sink down together on the green. 

 They sink together silent, and stealing side by side, They fling their lovely arms o'er their drooping necks so fair; Then vainly strive again their naked arms to hide, For their shrinking necks again are bare. 

 Thus clasped and prostrate all, with their heads together bowed, Soft o'er their bosoms beating--the only human sound-- They hear the silky footsteps of the silent fairy crowd, Like a river in the air, gliding round. 

 Nor scream can raise, nor prayer can any say, But wild, wild the terror of the speechless three; For they feel fair Anna Grace drawn silently away, By whom, they dare not look to see. 

 They feel their tresses twine with her parting locks of gold, And the curls elastic falling, as her head withdraws; They feel her sliding arms from their trancèd arms unfold, But they dare not look to see the cause. 

 For heavy on their senses the faint enchantment lies, Through all that night of anguish and perilous amaze; And neither fear nor wonder can open their quivering eyes, Or their limbs from the cold ground raise. 

 Till out of night the earth has rolled her dewy side, With every haunted mountain and streamy vale below; When, as the mist dissolves in the yellow morning tide, The maidens' trance dissolveth so. 

 They fly, the ghastly three, as swiftly as they may, And told their tale of sorrow to anxious friends in vain-- They pined away and died within the year and day, And ne'er was Anna Grace seen again. 

FAIRY DAYS

BY WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY

 Beside the old hall fire, upon my nurse's knee, Of happy fairy days, what tales were told to me! I thought the world was once all peopled with princesses, And my heart would beat to hear their loves and their distresses. And many a quiet night, in slumber sweet and deep, The pretty fairy people would visit me in sleep. 

 I saw them in my dreams come flying east and west; With wondrous fairy gifts the newborn babe they blessed. One has brought a jewel, and one a crown of gold, And one has brought a curse, but she is wrinkled and old. The gentle queen turns pale to hear those words of sin, But the king, he only laughs, and bids the dance begin. 

 The babe has grown to be the fairest of the land, And rides the forest green, a hawk upon her hand, An ambling palfrey white, a golden robe and crown; I've seen her in my dreams riding up and down: And heard the ogre laugh, as she fell into his snare, At the tender little creature, who wept and tore her hair. 

 But ever when it seemed her need was at the sorest, A prince in shining mail comes prancing through the forest, A waving ostrich-plume, a buckler burnished bright; I've seen him in my dreams, good sooth! a gallant knight. His lips are coral red beneath a dark mustache; See how he waves his hand and how his blue eyes flash!

 "Come forth, thou Paynim knight!" he shouts in accents clear. The giant and the maid, both tremble his voice to hear. Saint Mary guard him well! he draws his falchion keen, The giant and the knight are fighting on the green. I see them in my dreams, his blade gives stroke on stroke, The giant pants and reels, and tumbles like an oak!

 With what a blushing grace he falls upon his knee And takes the lady's hand and whispers, "You are free. " Ah! happy childish tales of knight and faërie! I waken from my dreams, but there's ne'er a knight for me; I waken from my dreams, and wish that I could be A child by the old hall-fire upon my nurse's knee!

 [Illustration: A VISIT TO ELFLAND From the painting by F. Y. Cory]

THE FAIRY QUEEN

 Come, follow, follow me-- You, fairy elves that be, Which circle on the green-- Come, follow Mab, your queen! Hand in hand let's dance around, For this place is fairy ground. 

 When mortals are at rest, And snoring in their nest, Unheard and unespied, Through keyholes we do glide; Over tables, stools, and shelves, We trip it with our fairy elves. 

 And if the house be foul With platter, dish, or bowl, Up stairs we nimbly creep, And find the sluts asleep; There we pinch their arms and thighs-- None escapes, nor none espies. 

 But if the house be swept, And from uncleanness kept, We praise the household maid, And duly she is paid; For we use, before we go, To drop a tester in her shoe. 

 Upon a mushroom's head, Our table cloth we spread; A grain of rye or wheat Is manchet, which we eat; Pearly drops of dew we drink, In acorn cups, filled to the brink. 

 The brains of nightingales, With unctuous fat of snails, Between two cockles stewed, Is meat that's easily chewed; Tails of worms, and marrow of mice, Do make a dish that's wondrous nice. 

 The grasshopper, gnat, and fly, Serve us for our minstrelsy; Grace said, we dance a while, And so the time beguile; And if the moon doth hide her head, The glow-worm lights us home to bed. 

 On tops of dewy grass So nimbly do we pass, The young and tender stalk Ne'er bends when we do walk; Yet in the morning may be seen Where we the night before have been. 

THE SEA PRINCESS

 In a palace of pearl and sea-weed, Set round with shining shells, Under the deeps of the ocean, The little Sea Princess dwells. 

 Sometimes she sees the shadows Of great whales passing by, Or white-winged vessels sailing Between the sea and sky. 

 And when through the waves she rises, Beyond the breakers' roar, She hears the shouts of the children At play on the sandy shore. 

 Or sees the ships' sides tower Above like a wet, black wall; Or shouts to the roaring breakers, And answers the sea-gull's call. 

 But, down in the quiet waters, Better she loves to play, Making a sea-weed garden-- Purple and green and gray;

 Stringing with pearls a necklace, Or learning curious spells From the water-witch, gray and ancient, And hearing the tales she tells. 

 Out in the stable her sea-horse Champs in his crystal stall; And fishes with scales that glisten Come leaping forth at her call. 

 So the little Sea Princess Is busy and happy all day, Just as the human children Are busy and happy at play. 

 And when the darkness gathers Over the lonely deep, On a bed of velvet sea-weed The Princess is rocked to sleep. 

LONG AGO

 When the fairies used to live here, Long ago, There was never any dark, Or any snow; But the great big sun kept shining All the night, And the roses just kept blooming, Oh, so bright!

 Then the little children never Teased their mothers; And little sisters always Loved their brothers. And they played so very gently-- But, you know, That was when the fairies lived here, Long ago. 

THISTLE-TASSEL[G]

BY FLORENCE HARRISON

 Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, Dancing in the sunlight; Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, With your silver wings, Will you come and live with me In my little nursery, Down beside a royal city, Where the river sings?

 Little Lady, Little Lady, Stepping in the sunlight; Little Lady, Little Lady, Where the rivers run, What have you to give to me, In your pretty nursery, Fairer than a shady valley, Brighter than the sun?

 Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, Dancing in the twilight; Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, With your yellow hair, You shall have a couch of down, You shall have a golden crown, And a little gown of silver Sewn for you to wear. 

 Little Lady, Little Lady, Stooping in the twilight; Little Lady, Little Lady, All so bonnie brown, Roses are a softer bed, Golden flowers crown my head, Finer than a robe o' silver Is a fairy gown. 

 Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, Dancing in the starlight; Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, With a bright penny You shall buy the sugar plums, And the honey when it comes, Very sweet, and golden-glowing As the honey bee. 

 Little Lady, Little Lady, Sighing in the starlight; Little Lady, Little Lady, In the heather curled, Fairy fruit is full and clear, And the honey bee is here: Never need have we of money In a fairy world. 

 Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, Dancing in the moonlight; Thistle-Tassel, Thistle-Tassel, Queen of fairy ones, I will give you street and spire, Boat, and bridge, and beacon fire, And a sound of merry music Where the river runs. 

 Little Lady, Little Lady, Kneeling in the moonlight; Little Lady, Little Lady, In your yellow shoon: Where the boats and bridges be, Naught have you to give to me Fairer than a twilit valley, Brighter than the moon. 

 [G] From "Elfin Songs, " by Florence Harrison; used by permission of the publishers, Blackie & Sons, Glasgow. 

SONG OF THE FAIRY

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

 Over hill, over dale, Through bush, through brier, Over park, over pale, Through flood, through fire, I do wander everywhere, Swifter than the moon's sphere; And I serve the fairy queen, To dew her orbs upon the green; The cowslips tall her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see: These be rubies, fairy favors-- In those freckles live their savors. I must go seek some dewdrops here, And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear. 

 [Illustration: _From a Thistle Print, copyright by Detroit Publishing Company_ LITTLE OLD MAN OF THE WOODS FROM A PAINTING BY IRVING R. BACON]

THE FAIRIES

BY WILLIAM ALLINGHAM

 Up the airy mountain, Down the rushy glen, We daren't go a-hunting For fear of little men; Wee folk, good folk, Trooping all together: Green jacket, red cap, And white owl's feather!

 Down along the rocky shore Some make their home, They live on crispy pancakes Of yellow tide-foam; Some in the reeds Of the black mountain-lake, With frogs for their watch-dogs, All night awake. 

 High on the hill-top The old King sits; He is now so old and gray He's nigh lost his wits. With a bridge of white mist Columbkill he crosses, On his stately journeys From Slieveleague to Rosses; Or going up with music On cold starry nights, To sup with the Queen Of the gay Northern Lights. 

 They stole little Bridget For seven years long; When she came down again Her friends were all gone. They took her lightly back, Between the night and morrow, They thought that she was fast asleep, But she was dead with sorrow. They have kept her ever since Deep within the lake, On a bed of flag-leaves, Watching till she wake. 

 By the craggy hill-side, Through the mosses bare, They have planted thorn-trees For pleasure here and there. Is any man so daring As dig them up in spite, He shall find their sharpest thorns In his bed at night. 

 Up the airy mountain, Down the rushy glen, We daren't go a-hunting For fear of little men; Wee folk, good folk, Trooping all together; Green jacket, red cap, And white owl's feather!

OH, WHERE DO FAIRIES HIDE THEIR HEADS?

BY THOMAS HAYNES BAYLY

 Oh, where do fairies hide their heads When snow lies on the hills, When frost has spoiled their mossy beds, And crystallized their rills?

 Beneath the moon they cannot trip In circles o'er the plain, And draughts of dew they cannot sip Till green leaves come again. 

 Perhaps, in small blue diving-bells They plunge beneath the waves-- Inhabiting the wreathèd shells That lie in coral caves. Perhaps in red Vesuvius Carousal they maintain; And cheer their little spirits thus Till green leaves come again. 

 Or, maybe, in soft garments rolled, In hollow trees they lie, And sing, when nestled from the cold, To while the season by. There, while they sleep in pleasant trance, 'Neath mossy counterpane, In dreams they weave some fairy dance, Till green leaves come again. 

 When they return there will be mirth And music in the air, And fairy rings upon the earth, And mischief everywhere. The maids, to keep the elves aloof, Will bar the doors in vain; No key-hole will be fairy-proof, When green leaves come again. 

 [Illustration: MODERN FAIRY TALES]

THE ELF OF THE WOODLANDS

RETOLD FROM RICHARD HENGIST HORNE BY WILLIAM BYRON FORBUSH

One morning when the summer sun was still sleeping an Elf came up frombelow, tickling an oak-tree's foot, skipping like a flea, andwhispering mischievously to himself. 

 "With little legs straddling, He dances about-- Pretends to be waddling-- Then leaps with a flout. Now he stops-- Now he hops-- Now cautiously trips On tiptoe And sliptoe He scuttles and skips; Along the grass gliding, Half dancing, half sliding. "

There was a pretty white cottage on the edge of the wood, and, witheverybody quiet within, it also seemed asleep. Toward this cottageskipped the Elf. 

He was a little fellow, scarce five inches tall. His body was as brownas the bark of a tree, all mixed with green streaks and tarnished gold. You could hardly see him as he went stooping along against the greenleaves and the brown branches. 

When he got to the sleeping cottage he climbed up the lattice, andpoked his sharp little nose into every crevice. He pulled open a looseshutter, tapped once or twice on the windows, and when he found a brokenpane--in he went!

In this cottage lived a girl named Toody. She was not very big, as youcan believe when I tell you that all the shrubs in the garden weretaller than she, and all the flowers nodded over her head. In this samehouse lived Toody's cousins, Kitty, and Crocus, and Twig, and Tiny--onlyTiny was a little dog, not a little boy. And here, too, livedGrandmother Grey. 

 "In spectacles, tucker and flower'd-chintz gown, Who always half smiled when trying to frown. "

Grandmother Grey took care of them all. At five o'clock that morning shewoke up. "What noise do I hear below?" she cried. "It is daylight, butnobody is up I know. "

So Grandmother Grey threw off her skullcap and bandage, and nightcapwith all its ribbons, bows and strings, and called out loudly: "Come, children, jump up quickly! There's a rat in the dairy! Come down withme. "

Then Toody, and Crocus, and Kitty, and Twig, in their nightgowns andnightcaps, ran scrambling and laughing down stairs, with Tiny barkingand tumbling about between their legs. They crept through the parlor, where all the shutters were closed but one. Like cautious Indians theywent silently on, Dame Grey and the children in single file, eachholding on to the one before by the tail of her nightgown. 

Into the dairy they went, and stared about. Then they huddled togetherin fear, for behind a milk-jug, under the spout, they saw a quaintlittle figure. 

 "It was golden, and greenish, and earthy brown, With a perking nose and a pointed chin; It had very bright eyes and a funny frown, With a russet-apple's network skin. "

They all started to run in terror, but brave Tiny sprang up and began tochase the Elf round a milkpan. 

Oh, what a race was there! They ran so fast that the two small bodieswere as one. They looked like the dark band on the humming-top when youspin it. And just as Tiny was about to catch him, the Elf leaped into apan, swam across three pails of milk, climbed the wall and hid on ashelf. 

"We've lost him; we've lost him!" cried all the children. But, just intime, Grandmother Grey seized her jelly-bag, swung it across the shelf, and into it was swept our little elfin friend. 

"Now, children, " said she, "Go up and dress. "

The children did not know what the old dame was going to do next. Sheled the way into the parlor. "Tiny, " said she, "I depend on you to keepwatch for us. " So Tiny stood like a soldier, with both ears cocked andhis nose down bent, and watched every motion that was going on in thebag, which stood up now like a tent on the floor. 

'Twas but a minute before the children were down again, all dressed. The tea-kettle was singing, and the hot rolls were on the table, andeverybody was ringing the bell all at once for more eggs. But Tiny stoodguard over the jelly-bag tent. 

"I think the Elf is hungry and thirsty, " said Toody. So she slipped asaucer of milk under the edge of the tent, and then, laughing, sherolled in an egg. They all listened for ten minutes, and then theyplainly heard the crackling of the shell. 

"Away with the tea things!" said Dame Grey to Martha, the maid. "Andbring me my white wicker bird-cage. "

So the bird-cage was brought, and Grandmother Grey took up the jelly-bagcarefully, clapped its mouth to the open cage-door, shook it, and--pop!in went the Elf, and the cage door was made fast! Did he moan? Did hecomplain? Not he. With one spring and ten kicks he climbed to the poleand seated himself there, with his hands on the pole. 

Toody ran close to the cage, and so did Crocus and Twig; and Kitty, alittle farther off, stood staring and smiling. But the Elf was not a bitfrightened. He sat swinging his little legs, with his tongue in his leftcheek and his left eye looking down with a half-winking, impertinentair. 

"Now, " cried Dame Grey, "tell us who you are, little Sir, and what youare. Do you know that you have spoilt all my cream, and broken my bestchina-cup? Speak up now! What have you to say for yourself?"

The Elf was very angry, but it would never do to show it. So he triedto look as gentle as a good child reading a book. He rubbed some ofthe yellow of the egg off his chin, and stuck it on his leg like abuttercup. He shrugged his shoulders up in a bunch, and then, with asneeze as if he had caught cold in the forest, he began:

 "Nine white witches sat in a circle close, With their backs against a greenwood tree, As around the dead-nettle's summer stem Its woolly white blossoms you see. Then from hedges and ditches, these old lady-witches, Took bird-weed and rag-weed and spear-grass for me, And they wove me a bower, 'gainst the snow-storm or shower, In a dry old hollow beech tree. _Twangle tee!_ _Ri-rigdum, dingle shade-laugh, tingle dee!_"

"Nonsense!" said Grandmother Grey. "You can't fool me with your nettles, and nonsense, and hedges, and ditches. What do I care about all that?You know as well as I do that you came here to _steal cake_ and _drinkcream_. Besides, you have broken my best china-cup!"

The Elf gave a sigh, and looked up in the air; then took a glance atMartha's broom, and as he looked down he thought he saw Toody winking athim. So he just smiled and said: "I declare, by the tom-tit's folly, andthe mole's pin-hole eye, and the woodpecker's thorny tongue, that I havetold you the truth. "

Noticing that Toody was still winking at him he kept on, and told thefollowing story:

"One day when I was loafing about in the wood I heard a strange noise inthe bushes. I peeped over the edge, and there was a robin bathing in thebrook. It ruffled its feathers with a spattering sound, made itself intoa fussy ball, and threw up a shower of water; but what I most noticedwas its eye--its eye!--"

"Its eye--its eye?" broke in all the children. "What about its eye?"

The Elf glanced again at Toody, and he saw that this time she gave him aquiet nod, as much as to say, "I'll find you a chance. " So the Elf gavea downward squint at the closed cage-door, just for a hint. Then hescratched his cheek, jumped down on the floor of the cage, and began toact out a "robin, " just as if he were on the stage. 

"Its eye--its eye? Well, just as soon as it caught a glimpse of me itbobbed--took wing--and was out of sight. Then back it came again, as ifangry. It looked like an alderman lecturing the poor, but meaning reallyto--_unlock the cage!_ I mean--to try to fool me. See! How high itflies. Clear up to the tip-top of the tree. Look at its large brighteye! There! There! See how it bobs--makes a quick bow, just as I amdoing--points down its tail and up its nose--and off it goes!"

And out and off went the Elf!

"Run, Tiny, run! Oh, Kitty! Twig! The little rascal is gone! Run, Toody, run! Ah, I caught you; you are the one who loosened the cage-door. Run, Tiny! Oh, Kitty, Twig, and Crocus, that robin redbreast story was onlymeant to fool us!" Thus cried Grandmother Grey, till she was breathless. 

 "Off they all ran trooping, And hallooing and whooping, Beneath the low boughs stooping, Right through the wood, For Grandmama Grey, Like an old duck, led the way, When a string of ducks trudge to a flood. Then came Kitty, side by side With Toody, who oft cried; 'Oh, Kitty dear, was ever such rare fun, fun, fun!' And Crocus close to Twig, Both scampered in a jig, For they knew the Elf his freedom-race had won, won, won! As for him, the roguish Elf, He took good care of himself; His mites of legs they twinkled as he fled, fled, fled. He was scarcely seen, indeed, He so glistened with his speed, And his hair streamed out like silver grass behind his head. "

So Dame Grey and the children chased the Elf till they were hot andtired, and till the sun went down; and by and by they gave up, and allwent home to let Martha wash their soiled hands and faces. 

It was a warm and pleasant night, and before very long all the childrenwere fast asleep. 

 "Within a very little nook, Toody always slept alone, Its strip of window stole a look Over the lawn and hayrick-cone. 

 Within the open lattice crept Some jasmine from the cottage wall, And to the breathing of her sleep, Softly swayed, with rise and fall. 

 But something else comes creeping in, As softly, from the starry night-- The Elf!--'tis he!--first peeping in, Now like a moth doth he alight. 

 He trips up to the little bed, And near it hangs a full-blown rose; Then in the middle of the flower Places a light that gleams and glows. 

 It is a glowworm from the lea, And lighting up the rose's heart, A fairy grot it seems to be, Where dream-thoughts live and ne'er depart. 

 And now the Elf once more is gone Into the woodlands wild, Leaving his blessing thus to shine Upon the sleeping child. "

PRINCESS FINOLA AND THE DWARF[H]

BY EDMUND LEAMY

A long, long time ago there lived in a little hut in the midst of abare, brown, lonely moor an old woman and a young girl. The old womanwas withered, sour-tempered, and dumb. The young girl was as sweet andas fresh as an opening rosebud, and her voice was as musical as thewhisper of a stream in the woods in the hot days of summer. The littlehut, made of branches woven closely together, was shaped like abee-hive. In the center of the hut a fire burned night and day fromyear's end to year's end, though it was never touched or tended by humanhand. In the cold days and nights of winter it gave out light and heatthat made the hut cozy and warm, but in the summer nights and days itgave out light only. With their heads to the wall of the hut and theirfeet toward the fire were two sleeping-couches--one of plain woodwork, in which slept the old woman; the other was Finola's. It was of bog-oak, polished as a looking-glass, and on it were carved flowers and birds ofall kinds that gleamed and shone in the light of the fire. This couchwas fit for a Princess, and a Princess Finola was, though she did notknow it herself. 

Outside the hut the bare, brown, lonely moor stretched for miles onevery side, but toward the east it was bounded by a range of mountainsthat looked to Finola blue in the daytime, but which put on a hundredchanging colors as the sun went down. Nowhere was a house to be seen, nor a tree, nor a flower, nor sign of any living thing. From morningtill night, nor hum of bee, nor song of bird, nor voice of man, nor anysound fell on Finola's ear. When the storm was in the air the greatwaves thundered on the shore beyond the mountains, and the wind shoutedin the glens; but when it sped across the moor it lost its voice, andpassed as silently as the dead. At first the silence frightened Finola, but she got used to it after a time, and often broke it by talking toherself and singing. 

The only other person beside the old woman Finola ever saw was a dumbDwarf who, mounted on a broken-down horse, came once a month to the hut, bringing with him a sack of corn for the old woman and Finola. Althoughhe couldn't speak to her, Finola was always glad to see the Dwarf andhis old horse, and she used to give them cake made with her own whitehands. As for the Dwarf he would have died for the little Princess, hewas so much in love with her, and often and often his heart was heavyand sad as he thought of her pining away in the lonely moor. 

It chanced that he came one day, and she did not, as usual, come out togreet him. He made signs to the old woman, but she took up a stick andstruck him, and beat his horse and drove him away; but as he was leavinghe caught a glimpse of Finola at the door of the hut, and saw that shewas crying. This sight made him so very miserable that he could think ofnothing else but her sad face, that he had always seen so bright; and heallowed the old horse to go on without minding where he was going. Suddenly he heard a voice saying: "It is time for you to come. "

The Dwarf looked, and right before him, at the foot of a green hill, wasa little man not half as big as himself, dressed in a green jacket withbrass buttons, and a red cap and tassel. 

"It is time for you to come, " he said the second time; "but you arewelcome, anyhow. Get off your horse and come in with me, that I maytouch your lips with the wand of speech, that we may have a talktogether. "

The Dwarf got off his horse and followed the little man through a holein the side of a green hill. The hole was so small that he had to go onhis hands and knees to pass through it, and when he was able to stand hewas only the same height as the little Fairyman. After walking three orfour steps they were in a splendid room, as bright as day. Diamondssparkled in the roof as stars sparkle in the sky when the night iswithout a cloud. The roof rested on golden pillars, and between thepillars were silver lamps, but their light was dimmed by that of thediamonds. In the middle of the room was a table, on which were twogolden plates and two silver knives and forks, and a brass bell as bigas a hazelnut, and beside the table were two little chairs. 

"Take a chair, " said the Fairy, "and I will ring for the wand ofspeech. "

The Dwarf sat down, and the Fairyman rang the little brass bell, and incame a little weeny Dwarf no bigger than your hand. 

"Bring me the wand of speech, " said the Fairy, and the weeny Dwarf bowedthree times and walked out backward, and in a minute he returned, carrying a little black wand with a red berry at the top of it, and, giving it to the Fairy, he bowed three times and walked out backward ashe had done before. 

The little man waved the rod three times over the Dwarf, and struck himonce on the right shoulder and once on the left shoulder, and thentouched his lips with the red berry, and said: "Speak!"

The Dwarf spoke, and he was so rejoiced at hearing the sound of his ownvoice that he danced about the room. 

"Who are you at all, at all?" said he to the Fairy. 

"Who is yourself?" said the Fairy. "But come, before we have any talklet us have something to eat, for I am sure you are hungry. "

Then they sat down to table, and the Fairy rang the little brass belltwice, and the weeny Dwarf brought in two boiled snails in their shells, and when they had eaten the snails he brought in a dormouse, and whenthey had eaten the dormouse he brought in two wrens, and when they hadeaten the wrens he brought in two nuts full of wine, and they becamevery merry, and the Fairyman sang "Cooleen Dhas, " and the Dwarf sang"The Little Blackbird of the Glen. "

"Did you ever hear the 'Foggy Dew'?" said the Fairy. 

"No, " said the Dwarf. 

"Well, then, I'll give it to you; but we must have some more wine. "

And the wine was brought, and he sang the "Foggy Dew, " and the Dwarfsaid it was the sweetest song he had ever heard, and that the Fairyman'svoice would coax the birds off the bushes!

"You asked me who I am?" said the Fairy. 

"I did, " said the Dwarf. 

"And I asked you who is yourself?"

"You did, " said the Dwarf. 

"And who are you, then?"

"Well, to tell the truth, I don't know, " said the Dwarf, and he blushedlike a rose. 

"Well, tell me what you know about yourself. "

"I remember nothing at all, " said the Dwarf, "before the day I foundmyself going along with a crowd of all sorts of people to the great fairof the Liffey. We had to pass by the King's palace on our way, and as wewere passing the King sent for a band of jugglers to come and show theirtricks before him. I followed the jugglers to look on, and when the playwas over the King called me to him, and asked me who I was and where Icame from. I was dumb then, and couldn't answer; but even if I couldspeak I could not tell him what he wanted to know, for I rememberednothing of myself before that day. Then the King asked the jugglers, butthey knew nothing about me, and no one knew anything, and then the Kingsaid he would take me into his service; and the only work I have to dois to go once a month with a bag of corn to the hut in the lonely moor. "

"And there you fell in love with the little Princess, " said the Fairy, winking at the Dwarf. 

The poor Dwarf blushed twice as much as he had done before. 

"You need not blush, " said the Fairy; "it is a good man's case. And nowtell me, truly, do you love the Princess, and what would you give tofree her from the spell of enchantment that is over her?"

"I would give my life, " said the Dwarf. 

"Well, then, listen to me, " said the Fairy. "The Princess Finola wasbanished to the lonely moor by the King, your master. He killed herfather, who was the rightful King, and would have killed Finola, only hewas told by an old sorceress that if he killed her he would die himselfon the same day, and she advised him to banish her to the lonely moor, and she said she would fling a spell of enchantment over it, and thatuntil the spell was broken Finola could not leave the moor. And thesorceress also promised that she would send an old woman to watch overthe Princess by night and by day, so that no harm should come to her;but she told the King that he himself should select a messenger to takefood to the hut, and that he should look out for someone who had neverseen or heard of the Princess, and whom he could trust never to tellanyone anything about her; and that is the reason he selected you. "

"Since you know so much, " said the Dwarf, "can you tell me who I am, andwhere I came from?"

"You will know that time enough, " said the Fairy. "I have given you backyour speech. It will depend solely on yourself whether you will get backyour memory of who and what you were before the day you entered theKing's service. But are you really willing to try and break the spell ofenchantment and free the Princess?"

"I am, " said the Dwarf. 

"Whatever it will cost you?"

"Yes, if it cost me my life, " said the Dwarf; "but tell me, how can thespell be broken?"

"Oh, it is easy enough to break the spell if you have the weapons, " saidthe Fairy. 

"And what are they, and where are they?" said the Dwarf. 

"The spear of the shining haft and the dark blue blade and the silvershield, " said the Fairy. "They are on the farther bank of the MysticLake in the Island of the Western Seas. They are there for the man whois bold enough to seek them. If you are the man who will bring them backto the lonely moor you will only have to strike the shield three timeswith the haft, and three times with the blade of the spear, and thesilence of the moor will be broken forever, the spell of enchantmentwill be removed, and the Princess will be free. "

"I will set out at once, " said the Dwarf, jumping from his chair. 

"And whatever it cost you, " said the Fairy, "will you pay the price?"

"I will, " said the Dwarf. 

"Well, then, mount your horse, give him his head, and he will take youto the shore opposite the Island of the Mystic Lake. You must cross tothe island on his back, and make your way through the water-steeds thatswim around the island night and day to guard it; but woe betide you ifyou attempt to cross without paying the price, for if you do the angrywater-steeds will rend you and your horse to pieces. And when you cometo the Mystic Lake you must wait until the waters are as red as wine, and then swim your horse across it, and on the farther side you willfind the spear and shield; but woe betide you if you attempt to crossthe lake before you pay the price, for if you do, the black Cormorantsof the Western Seas will pick the flesh from your bones. "

"What is the price?" said the Dwarf. 

"You will know that time enough, " said the Fairy; "but now go, and goodluck go with you. "

The Dwarf thanked the Fairy, and said good-by. He then threw the reinson his horse's neck, and started up the hill, that seemed to grow biggerand bigger as he ascended, and the Dwarf soon found that what he tookfor a hill was a great mountain. After traveling all the day, toiling upby steep crags and heathery passes, he reached the top as the sun wassetting in the ocean, and he saw far below him out in the waters theisland of the Mystic Lake. 

He began his descent to the shore, but long before he reached it the sunhad set, and darkness, unpierced by a single star, dropped upon the sea. The old horse, worn out by his long and painful journey, sank beneathhim, and the Dwarf was so tired that he rolled off his back and fellasleep by his side. 

He awoke at the breaking of the morning, and saw that he was almost atthe water's edge. He looked out to sea, and saw the island, but nowherecould he see the water-steeds, and he began to fear he must have taken awrong course in the night, and that the island before him was not theone he was in search of. But even while he was so thinking he heardfierce and angry snortings, and, coming swiftly from the island to theshore, he saw the swimming and prancing steeds. Sometimes their headsand manes only were visible, and sometimes, rearing, they rose half outof the water, and, striking it with their hoofs, churned it into foam, and tossed the white spray to the skies. As they approached nearer andnearer their snortings became more terrible, and their nostrils shotforth clouds of vapor. The Dwarf trembled at the sight and sound, andhis old horse, quivering in every limb, moaned piteously, as if in pain. On came the steeds, until they almost touched the shore, then rearing, they seemed about to spring on to it. 

The frightened Dwarf turned his head to fly, and as he did so he heardthe twang of a golden harp, and right before him whom should he see butthe little man of the hills, holding a harp in one hand and striking thestrings with the other. 

"Are you ready to pay the price?" said he, nodding gayly to the Dwarf. 

As he asked the question, the listening water-steeds snorted morefuriously than ever. 

"Are you ready to pay the price?" said the little man a second time. 

A shower of spray, tossed on shore by the angry steeds, drenched theDwarf to the skin, and sent a cold shiver to his bones, and he was soterrified that he could not answer. 

"For the third and last time, are you ready to pay the price?" asked theFairy, as he flung the harp behind him and turned to depart. 

When the Dwarf saw him going he thought of the little Princess in thelonely moor, and his courage came back, and he answered bravely:

"Yes, I am ready. "

The water-steeds, hearing his answer, and snorting with rage, struck theshore with their pounding hoofs. 

"Back to your waves!" cried the little harper; and as he ran his fingersacross his lyre, the frightened steeds drew back into the waters. 

"What is the price?" asked the Dwarf. 

"Your right eye, " said the Fairy; and before the Dwarf could say a word, the Fairy scooped out the eye with his finger, and put it into hispocket. 

The Dwarf suffered most terrible agony; but he resolved to bear it forthe sake of the little Princess. Then the Fairy sat down on a rock atthe edge of the sea, and, after striking a few notes, he began to playthe "Strains of Slumber. "

The sound crept along the waters, and the steeds, so ferocious a momentbefore, became perfectly still. They had no longer any motion of theirown, and they floated on the top of the tide like foam before a breeze. 

"Now, " said the Fairy, as he led the Dwarf's horse to the edge of thetide. 

The Dwarf urged the horse into the water, and once out of his depth, theold horse struck out boldly for the island. The sleeping water-steedsdrifted helplessly against him, and in a short time he reached theisland safely, and he neighed joyously as his hoofs touched solidground. 

The Dwarf rode on and on, until he came to a bridle-path, and followingthis, it led him up through winding lanes, bordered with golden furzethat filled the air with fragrance, and brought him to the summit of thegreen hills that girdled and looked down on the Mystic Lake. Here thehorse stopped of his own accord, and the Dwarf's heart beat quickly ashis eye rested on the lake, that, clipped round by the ring of hills, seemed in the breezeless and sunlit air--

 "As still as death. And as bright as life can be. "

After gazing at it for a long time, he dismounted, and lay at his easein the pleasant grass. Hour after hour passed, but no change came overthe face of the waters; and when the night fell, sleep closed theeyelids of the Dwarf. 

The song of the lark awoke him in the early morning, and, starting up, he looked at the lake, but its waters were as bright as they had beenthe day before. 

Toward midday he beheld what he thought was a black cloud sailing acrossthe sky from east to west. It seemed to grow larger as it came nearerand nearer, and when it was high above the lake he saw it was a hugebird, the shadow of whose outstretched wings darkened the waters of thelake; and the Dwarf knew it was one of the Cormorants of the WesternSeas. As it descended slowly, he saw that it held in one of its claws abranch of a tree larger than a full-grown oak, and laden with clustersof ripe red berries. It alighted at some distance from the Dwarf, and, after resting for a time, it began to eat the berries and to throw thestones into the lake, and wherever a stone fell a bright red stainappeared in the water. As he looked more closely at the bird the Dwarfsaw that it had all the signs of old age, and he could not helpwondering how it was able to carry such a heavy tree. 

Later in the day, two other birds, as large as the first, but younger, came up from the west and settled down beside him. They also ate theberries, and throwing the stones into the lake it was soon as red aswine. 

When they had eaten all the berries, the young birds began to pick thedecayed feathers off the old bird and to smooth his plumage. As soon asthey had completed their task, he rose slowly from the hill and sailedout over the lake, and dropping down on the waters dived beneath them. In a moment he came to the surface, and shot up into the air with ajoyous cry, and flew off to the west in all the vigor of renewed youth, followed by the other birds. 

When they had gone so far that they were like specks in the sky, theDwarf mounted his horse and descended toward the lake. 

He was almost at the margin, and in another minute would have plungedin, when he heard a fierce screaming in the air, and before he had timeto look up, the three birds were hovering over the lake. 

The Dwarf drew back frightened. 

The birds wheeled over his head, and then, swooping down, they flewclose to the water, covering it with their wings, and uttering harshcries. 

Then, rising to a great height, they folded their wings and droppedheadlong, like three rocks, on the lake, crashing its surface, andscattering a wine-red shower upon the hills. 

Then the Dwarf remembered what the Fairy told him, that if he attemptedto swim the lake, without paying the price, the three Cormorants of theWestern Seas would pick the flesh off his bones. He knew not what to do, and was about to turn away, when he heard once more the twang of thegolden harp, and the little fairy of the hills stood before him. 

"Faint heart never won fair lady, " said the little harper. "Are youready to pay the price? The spear and shield are on the opposite bank, and the Princess Finola is crying this moment in the lonely moor. "

At the mention of Finola's name the Dwarf's heart grew strong. 

"Yes, " he said; "I am ready--win or die. What is the price?"

"Your left eye, " said the Fairy. And as soon as said he scooped out theeye, and put it in his pocket. 

The poor blind Dwarf almost fainted with pain. 

"It's your last trial, " said the Fairy, "and now do what I tell you. Twist your horse's mane round your right hand, and I will lead him tothe water. Plunge in, and fear not. I gave you back your speech. Whenyou reach the opposite bank you will get back your memory, and you willknow who and what you are. "

Then the Fairy led the horse to the margin of the lake. 

"In with you now, and good luck go with you, " said the Fairy. 

The Dwarf urged the horse. He plunged into the lake, and went down anddown until his feet struck the bottom. Then he began to ascend, andas he came near the surface of the water the Dwarf thought he saw aglimmering light, and when he rose above the water he saw the bright sunshining and the green hills before him, and he shouted with joy atfinding his sight restored. 

But he saw more. Instead of the old horse he had ridden into the lake hewas bestride a noble steed, and as the steed swam to the bank the Dwarffelt a change coming over himself, and an unknown vigor in his limbs. 

When the steed touched the shore he galloped up the hillside, and on thetop of the hill was a silver shield, bright as the sun, resting againsta spear standing upright in the ground. 

The Dwarf jumped off, and, running toward the shield, he saw himself asin a looking-glass. 

He was no longer a dwarf, but a gallant knight. At that moment hismemory came back to him, and he knew he was Conal, one of the Knights ofthe Red Branch, and he remembered now that the spell of dumbness anddeformity had been cast upon him by the Witch of the Palace of theQuicken Trees. 

Slinging his shield upon his left arm, he plucked the spear from theground and leaped on to his horse. With a light heart he swam back overthe lake, and nowhere could he see the black Cormorants of the WesternSeas, but three white swans floating abreast followed him to the bank. When he reached the bank he galloped down to the sea, and crossed to theshore. 

Then he flung the reins upon his horse's neck, and swifter than the windthe gallant horse swept on and on, and it was not long until he wasbounding over the enchanted moor. Wherever his hoofs struck the ground, grass and flowers sprang up, and great trees with leafy branches rose onevery side. 

At last the knight reached the little hut. Three times he struck theshield with the haft and three times with the blade of his spear. At thelast blow the hut disappeared, and standing before him was the littlePrincess. 

The knight took her in his arms and kissed her; then he lifted her on tothe horse, and, leaping up before her, he turned toward the north, tothe palace of the Red Branch Knights; and as they rode on beneath theleafy trees, from every tree the birds sang out, for the spell ofdeathly silence over the lonely moor was broken forever. 

[H] From "The Golden Spear, " by Edmund Leamy; used by permission of thepublisher, Desmond Fitzgerald, New York. 

THE STRAW OX

_A Russian Tale_

An old man and an old woman lived in an old house on the edge of theforest. The old man worked in the field all day and the woman spun flax. But for all of their hard work they were very poor--never one pennycould they save. One day the old man said to the old woman:

"I would like to give you something to please you, but I have nothing togive. "

"Never mind that, " said the old woman, "make me a straw ox. "

"A straw ox!" cried the old man. "What will you do with that?"

"Never mind that, " said the old woman. 

So the old man made a straw ox. 

"Smear it all over with tar, " said the old woman. 

"Why should I smear it with tar?" asked the old man. 

"Never mind that, " said the old woman. 

So the old man smeared the straw ox all over with tar. 

The next morning when the old woman went out into the field to gatherflax she took the straw ox with her and left it standing alone near theedge of the forest. 

A bear came out of the woods, and said to the ox: "Who are you?"

 "I am an ox all smeared with tar, And filled with straw, as oxen are, "

replied the ox. 

"Oh, " said the bear. "I need some straw to mend my coat, and the tarwill keep it in place. Give me some straw and some tar. "

"Help yourself, " said the ox. 

So the bear began to tear at the ox, and his great paws stuck fast, andhe pulled and he tugged, and he tugged and he pulled, and the more hepulled and tugged, the faster he stuck, and he could not get away. 

Then the ox dragged the bear to the old house on the edge of the forest. 

When the old woman came back with her apron full of flax and saw thatthe straw ox had gone she ran home as fast as she could. There stood theox with the bear stuck fast to him. 

"Husband, husband! Come here at once, " she cried. "The ox has broughthome a bear; what shall we do?"

So the old man came as fast as he could, pulled the bear off the ox, tied him up, and threw him into the cellar. 

The next morning when the old woman went into the field to gather flaxshe again took the straw ox with her, and again she left him standingalone near the edge of the forest. 

A wolf came out of the woods, and said to the ox: "Who are you?"

 "I am an ox all smeared with tar, And filled with straw, as oxen are, "

replied the ox. 

"Oh, " said the wolf, "I need some tar to smear my coat so that the dogscannot catch me. "

"Help yourself, " said the ox. 

The wolf put up his paws to take the tar and his paws stuck fast. Hepulled and he tugged, and he tugged and he pulled, and the more hepulled and tugged, the faster he stuck and he could not get away. 

Then the ox dragged the wolf to the old house on the edge of the forest. 

When the old woman came back with her apron full of flax and saw thatthe straw ox had gone she ran home as fast as she could. There stood theox in the yard with the wolf stuck fast to him. 

 [Illustration: "THEN CAME THE FOX, WITH MANY GEESE RUNNING BEFORE HIM"]

"Husband, husband! Come here at once!" she cried. "The ox has broughthome a wolf; what shall we do?"

So the old man came as fast as he could, pulled the wolf off the ox, tied him up, and threw him into the cellar. 

The next morning when the old woman went out into the field to gatherflax she again took the straw ox with her, and again she left itstanding alone near the edge of the forest. 

A fox came out of the woods, and said to the ox: "Who are you?"

 "I am an ox all smeared with tar, And filled with straw, as oxen are, "

replied the ox. 

"Oh, " said the fox, "I need some tar to smear my coat so that the dogscannot catch me. "

"Help yourself, " said the ox. 

The fox put up his paws to take the tar, and his paws stuck fast. Hepulled and he tugged, and he tugged and he pulled, and the more hepulled and tugged, the faster he stuck, and he could not get away. 

Then the ox dragged the fox to the old house on the edge of the forest. 

When the old woman came back with her apron full of flax and saw thatthe straw ox had gone she ran home as fast as she could. There stood theox with the fox stuck fast to him. 

"Husband, husband! Come here at once!" she cried. "The ox has broughthome a fox; what shall we do?"

So the old man came as fast as he could, pulled the fox off the ox, tiedhim up, and threw him into the cellar. 

The next morning when the woman came back with her apron full of flaxand saw that the ox had gone and she had run home as fast as she could, there stood the ox with a rabbit stuck fast to him. 

And the old man threw the rabbit into the cellar. 

The next morning the old man said:

"Now we will see what will come of all of this. "

So he took his knife and sat down by the cellar door and began to makethe knife sharp and bright. 

"What are you doing, old man?" asked the bear. 

"I am making my knife sharp and bright so as to cut up your coat andmake a nice warm jacket for the old woman to keep her warm this winter. "

"Oh, " said the bear. "Do not cut up my coat. Let me go, and I will bringyou some nice, sweet honey to eat. "

"Very well, " said the old man, "see to it that you do. "

So the old man let the bear go. 

Then he sat down again and began to make his knife sharp and bright. 

"What are you doing, old man?" asked the wolf. 

"I am making my knife sharp and bright so as to cut up your coat to makeme a fine fur cap, " said the old man. 

"Oh, " said the wolf. "Do not cut up my coat. Let me go and I will bringyou some sheep. "

"Very well, " said the old man, "see to it that you do. "

So the old man let the wolf go. 

Then he sat down again with his knife in his hand. 

"What are you doing, old man?" asked the fox. 

"I am making my knife sharp and bright so as to cut up your coat to makeme a nice fur collar. "

"Oh, " said the fox, "do not cut up my coat. Let me go and I will bringyou some geese. "

"Very well, " said the old man, "see to it that you do. "

And in the same way he let the rabbit loose, who said that he wouldbring some cabbage and some turnips and some carrots. 

The next morning early the old woman woke up and said:

"Some one is knocking at the door. "

So the old man got up and went to the door and opened it. 

"See, " said the bear, "I have brought you a jar full of honey. "

"Very well, " said the old man, and he gave the jar to the old woman whoput it on the shelf. 

Then came the wolf driving a flock of sheep into the yard. 

"See, " said the wolf, "I have brought you a flock of sheep. "

"Very well, " said the old man, and he drove the sheep into the pasture. 

Then came the fox, with many geese running before him, and the old mandrove them into the pen; and then came the rabbit with cabbages andturnips and carrots and other good things, and the old woman took themand put them into the pot and cooked them. 

And the old man said to the old woman, "Now we have sheep in the pastureand many geese in the pen, and we are rich, and I can give you somethingto please you. "

THE LITTLE PRINCESS OF THE FEARLESS HEART

BY B. J. DASKAM

Once upon a time the great, yellow stork carried a baby Princess to theQueen of that country which lies next to fairy-land. 

All throughout the kingdom the bells rang, the people shouted, and theKing declared a holiday for a whole year. But the Queen was veryanxious, for she knew that the fairies are a queer lot, and theirborders were very close indeed. 

"We must be very careful to slight none of them at the christening, " shesaid, "for goodness knows what they might do, if we did!"

So the wise-men drew up the lists, and when the day for the christeningarrived, the fairies were all there, and everything went as smoothly asa frosted cake. 

But the Queen said to the Lady-in-waiting:

"The first fairy godmother gave her nothing but a kiss! I don't callthat much of a gift!"

"'Sh!" whispered the Lady-in-waiting. "The fairies hear everything!"

And indeed, the fairy heard her well enough, and very angry she wasabout it, too. For she was so old that she knew all about it, frombeginning to end, and she was sure that the Wizard with Three Dragonswas sitting in the Black Forest, watching the whole matter in hiscrystal globe. So she had whispered her gift--which was nothing more norless than a Fearless Heart--into the ear of the Little Princess. But theQueen thought she had only kissed her. 

So, when the clock was on the hour of four (which, as every one knows, is the end of christenings and fairy gifts) the first godmother went upto the golden cradle. 

"Since my first gift was not satisfactory to every one, " she said, angrily, "I will give the Little Princess another. And that is, thatwhen the time comes she shall marry the Prince of the Black Heart!"

Then the clock struck four, while the Queen wept on the bosom of theLady-in-waiting. 

And that was the end of the christening. 

Then the King called the wise-men together, and for forty days andnights they read the books and studied the stars. 

In the end, they laid out a Garden, with a wall so high that the suncould not shine over it until noon, and so broad that it was a day'sjourney for a swift horse to cross it. One tiny door there was: but thefirst gate was of iron, and five-and-twenty men-at-arms stood before it, day and night, with drawn swords; the second gate was of beaten copper, and before that were fifty archers, with arrows on the string; the thirdgate was of triple brass, and before it a hundred knights, in fullarmor, rode without ceasing. 

Into the Garden went the Little Princess, and the Queen, and all herladies; but no man might pass the gates, save the King himself. Andthere the Princess dwelt until her seventeenth birthday, without seeingany more of the world than the inside of the wall. 

Now it happened that, some time before, a young Prince had ridden out ofthe west and set about his travels. For the wise-man on the hill hadcome to him and said:

"In the kingdom which lies next to fairyland dwells a Little Princesswho has a Fearless Heart. There is a wall which will not be easy toclimb, but the Princess is more beautiful than anything else in theworld!"

And that was enough for the Prince, so he girded on his sword, and setout, singing as he went for pure lightness of heart. 

But it is not so easy to find fairyland as it is to eat a ripe apple, and the Prince could have told you that, before he was through. For insome places it is so broad that it takes in the whole world, and inothers so narrow that a flea could cross it in two jumps. So that somepeople never leave it all their lives long, but others cross at a singlestep, and never see it at all. 

Finally, the Prince came to the place where all roads meet, and theywere as much alike as the hairs on a dog's back. But it was all one tohim, so he rode straight ahead and lost himself in fairyland. 

When the first fairy godmother saw him, she laughed to herself and flewaway, straight over his head, to the wall around the Garden. But you maybe sure that she did not trouble the guards at the triple gates: for, ifone has wings, what is the use of stairs? So over the wall she flew tothe room where the Little Princess lay sleeping. 

You may readily believe that the Princess was astonished when she awoketo find the fairy beside her bed, but she was not in the least alarmed, for, you see, she did not know that there was anything in the world tobe afraid of. 

"My dear, " said the old lady, "I am your first fairy godmother. "

"How do you do, Godmother?" said the Princess, and she sat up in bed andcourtesied. Which is a very difficult trick, indeed, and it is not everyPrincess who can do it. 

Her godmother was so delighted that she leaned over and kissed her. 

"That is the second time I have kissed you, " she said. "When I go, Iwill kiss you again, and you had better save the three of them, for theywill be useful when you go out into the world. And, my dear, it is hightime that you were going out. "

Then the Little Princess was overjoyed, but she only nodded her headwisely and said:

"I know, the world is as big as the whole Garden, and wider than thewall. But I can never go out, for the gates are always locked. "

"If you do not go now, " said the fairy, "you will have to go later, andthat might not be so well. And you should not argue with me, for I amolder than you will ever be, and your godmother, besides. Now kiss me, for I must be going. "

So she flew away, about her other affairs, for she was a very busy oldlady indeed. 

In the morning the Princess went to breakfast with the King and theQueen. 

"Mother, " she said, "it is high time that I went out into the world!"

The Queen was so startled that she dropped her egg on the floor and theKing was red as a beet with anger. 

"Tut! Tut!" he shouted. "What nonsense is this?"

"My fairy godmother was here last night, " said the Princess, "and shetold me all about it. I will go this morning, please, if I may. "

"Nonsense!" roared the King. 

"You will do no such thing!" wailed the Queen. 

"There could have been no one here, " said the King, "for the gates wereall locked. "

"Who told you that you had a fairy godmother?" asked the Queen. 

And there was an end of that. 

But that night, after the Princess had said her prayers and crept intobed, she heard her godmother calling to her from the Garden, so sheslipped on her cloak and stole out into the moonlight. There was no oneto be seen, so she pattered along in her little bare feet until she cameto the gate in the wall. 

While she was hesitating whether or not to run back to her little whitebed, the gates of triple brass opened as easily as if her godmother hadoiled them, and the Little Princess passed through the copper gates, andthe iron gate, and out into fairyland. 

But if you ask me why she saw the guards at the gates no more than theysaw her, I can only tell you that I do not know, and you will have to besatisfied with that. 

As for the Princess, she was as happy as a duck in a puddle. As shedanced along through the forests, the flowers broke from their stems tojoin her, the trees dropped golden fruit into her very hands, and thelittle brook which runs through fairyland left its course, and followedher, singing. 

And all the while, her godmother was coming down behind her, close athand, to see that she came to no harm; but the Princess did not knowthat. 

At last she came to the place where the Prince from the west laysleeping. He was dreaming that he had climbed the wall and had foundthe Princess, so that he smiled in his sleep and she knelt above him, wondering, for she had never seen a man before, save her father, theKing, and the Prince was very fair. So she bent closer and closer, untilher breath was on his cheek, and as he opened his eyes, she kissed him. 

As for the Prince, he thought that he was still asleep, till he saw thatshe was many times more beautiful than in his dreams, and he knew thathe had found her at last. 

 [Illustration: THE PRINCESS AND THE FAIRY]

"You are more beautiful than anything else in the world, " he said, "andI love you better than my life!"

"And I love you with all my heart!" said the Little Princess. 

"Will you marry me, " asked the Prince, "and live with me forever andever?"

"That I will, " said the Princess, "and gladly, if my father, the King, and my mother, the Queen, will let me leave the Garden. "

And she told the Prince all about the wall with the triple gates. 

The Prince saw that it would be no easy task to win the consent of theKing and the Queen, so nothing would do but that he must travel back tothe west and return with a proper retinue behind him. 

So he bade the Princess good-by and rode bravely off toward the west. 

The Princess went slowly back through fairyland, till she came to thewall, just as the sun was breaking in the east. As every one knows, White Magic is not of very much use in the daytime, outside offairyland, and if you ask why this is not so at christenings, I willsend you to Peter Knowall, who keeps the Big Red Book. 

So the guards at the triple gates saw the Princess, and they raised sucha hub-bub, that the King and the Queen rushed out to see what all thenoise was about. You can easily believe that they were in a great waywhen they saw the Little Princess, who they thought was safe asleep inher bed. 

They lost no time in bundling her through the gates, and then they fellto kissing her, and scolding her, and shaking her, and hugging her, allin the same breath. 

But the Princess said, "I have been out into the world, and I am goingto marry the Prince!"

Then perhaps there was not a great to-do about the Garden!

They bullied and coaxed and scolded and wept, but the Princess onlysaid, "I love him with all my heart and when the time comes I will go to him, if I have to beg my way from door to door!"

At that the King flew into a towering rage. 

"Very well, Miss!" he shouted. "But when you go, you may stay forever! Iwill cut your name off the records, and any one who speaks it will bebeheaded, if it is the High Lord Chancellor, himself!"

Then it was the turn of the Princess to weep, for she loved her parentsdearly, but she could not promise to forget the Prince. 

So matters went from pence to ha'pennies, as the saying goes, tillfinally the Princess could bear it no longer, so she found her cloak andstole down to the triple gates. 

Everything went very much as it had before, save that there was noPrince asleep under the tree where she had first found him. Then thePrincess would have turned back, but the little brook which followed ather heel had swollen out into a broad, deep river, and there was nothingto do but go ahead, till she came to a cottage among the trees, andbefore the door sat an old, old woman, spinning gold thread out ofmoonlight. And by that any one could have told that she was a fairy, butthe Princess thought it was always done that way in the world. 

"Oh, Mother, " she cried, "how shall I find my way out of the forest?"

But the old woman went on spinning, and the Princess thought that shehad never seen anything fly so fast as the shuttle. 

"Where were you wanting to go?" she asked. 

"I am searching for the Prince from the west, " said the Princess sadly. "Can you tell me where to find him?"

The fairy shook her head and went on with her spinning, so fast that youcould not see the shuttle at all. 

But the Princess begged so prettily that finally she said, "If I were looking for a Prince, I would follow my nose until I came tothe Black Forest, and then I would ask the Wizard with Three Dragons, who knows all about it, and more, too! That is, unless I thought that Iwould be afraid in the Black Forest. "

"What is afraid?" asked the Little Princess. "I do not know that. "

And no more she did, so the fairy laughed, for she saw trouble comingfor the Wizard. She stopped her wheel with a click, but for all her fastspinning, there was only enough gold thread to go around the secondfinger of the Princess's left hand. 

As for the Princess, she thanked the old lady very kindly, and setbravely off toward the Black Forest. 

But the Wizard with Three Dragons only laughed as he gazed into hiscrystal globe, for in it he could see everything that was happening inany place in the world, and I do not need Jacob Wise-man to tell me thata globe like that is worth having!

Now, when the Prince had left the Princess in fairyland, he lost no timein riding back to the west. The old King, his father, was overjoyed whenhe heard of the Little Princess, and he gave the Prince a retinue thatstretched for a mile behind him. 

 [Illustration: THE WIZARD WITH THE THREE DRAGONS, AND HIS CRYSTAL GLOBE]

But when they came to the place where all roads meet, the Prince wasgreatly perplexed, for this time, you see, he knew where he wanted togo. In the end, he trusted to chance and rode ahead, but they had notgone far before they came to the castle of the Wizard with ThreeDragons, in the middle of the Black Forest. 

In the great hall sat the Wizard, himself, waiting for them, and he wasas soft as butter. 

Yes, yes, he knew the Princess well enough, but it was too late to gofurther that night. So the Prince and all his train had best come intothe castle and wait till morning. 

That was what the Wizard said, and the Prince was glad enough to listento him, for he was beginning to fear that he would never find thePrincess again. But hardly had the last bowman come within the doorsthan the Wizard blew upon his crystal globe, and muttered a spell. 

At that, the Prince and his entire train were changed to solid stone, inthe twinkling of an eye, and there they remained till, at the propertime, the Little Princess of the Fearless Heart came up the great stonesteps of the castle. 

The Wizard was sitting on his throne with his Dragons behind hisshoulder, staring into his crystal globe as it spun in the air, hangingon nothing at all. 

He never took his eyes away when the Princess came up to the throne, andshe was far too polite to interrupt him when he was so busy. So for along, long time she stood there waiting, and the Wizard chuckled tohimself, for he thought that she was too frightened to speak. So hebreathed upon his crystal globe and muttered a spell. 

But of course, nothing happened, for the Little Princess had a FearlessHeart!

Then the Wizard grew black as night, for he saw that the matter was notso easy as plucking wild flowers, so he turned away from the crystalglobe and stared at the Princess. His eyes burned like two hot coals, so that she drew her cloak closer about her, but you cannot hide yourheart from a Wizard with Three Dragons, unless your cloak is woven ofsunlight, and the Little Black Dwarf has the only one of those in thewhole world, stowed away in an old chest in the garret. 

So the Wizard saw at once that the Little Princess had a Fearless Heart, and his voice was soft as rain-water. 

"Oh, Little Princess, " he said. "What is it that you want of me in theBlack Forest?"

"I am looking for the Prince from the west, " said the Princess, eagerly. "Can you tell me where to find him?"

"Yes, " said the Wizard. "I can tell you that, and perhaps some otherthings, besides. But what will you give me for my trouble?"

Then the Little Princess hung her head, for she had nothing about herthat was worth so much as a bone button, and the Wizard knew that aswell as you and I. So he said, very softly, "Will you give me yourFearless Heart?"

And there was the whole matter in a nutshell!

But the Princess stamped her foot on the stone floor. "Of course I willnot give you my heart, " she said. "And if you will not tell me forkindness, I will be going on, for I have nothing with which to pay you!"

"Not so fast!" cried the Wizard--for he was as wise as a rat in alibrary--"If you will not give me your heart, just let me have a kissand I will call it a bargain!"

Then the Princess remembered her godmother's three kisses, and shethought that this was the place for them, if they were ever to be usedat all, although she liked the thought of kissing the Wizard about asmuch as she liked sour wine. She crept up to the throne, and, with hereyes tight closed, gave the Wizard the first of the three kisses. 

At that the whole Black Forest shook with the force of the Magic, hissing through the trees, and the Wizard, with his Three Dragons turnedinto solid stone!

The crystal globe spun around in the air, humming like a hive full ofbees and sank slowly to the foot of the throne. 

Hardly had it touched the ground than the whole castle rent and splitinto a thousand pieces, and I would not like to have been there, unlessI had a bit of gold thread spun out of moonlight around my finger, forthe huge rocks were falling as thick as peas in a pan!

But the Princess hardly noticed the rocks at all, for, as the sun roseover the Black Forest, she recognized the marble figure of the Prince, standing among the ruins. You may be sure that she was heartbroken asshe went up to him, weeping very bitterly and calling and calling on hisname. Then in her sorrow she reached up and kissed the cold stone facewith the second magic kiss. 

Then suddenly she felt the marble grow soft and warm beneath her touch, and the Prince came back to life and took her in his arms. 

When he recognized the silent figures of his gay train, he was sad asdeath, and the Princess wept with him. But suddenly they saw an old, oldwoman picking her way among the fallen stones. 

"Oh, " said the Little Princess, "that is the old woman whom I met in theforest, spinning!"

At that the fairy laughed so hard that her hair tumbled down about herfeet, and it turned from gray to silver, and silver to gold. The yearsfell from her like a cloak, until she was more beautiful than thethought of man could conceive!

"Ah! I know you now!" cried the Little Princess. "You are my first fairygodmother!"

And that was the way of it, so she kissed them both for pure joy. Butwhen they asked her as to which of the stone figures should have thethird magic kiss, she shook her head, "None of them at all!" she said. "But give me back that bit of goldthread, for you will have no further use for it. "

Then she stretched the thread between her two hands until it was so finethat you could not see it at all, and laid it on the ground around theWizard and his Dragons, and tied a magic knot, just behind the crystalglobe. 

"Now give the third kiss to the crystal globe, " she said, "and see whatwill happen!"

So the Little Princess kissed the globe, and from the place where herlips touched it, a stream of water trickled down. As it touched the feetof each statue, the marble softened to flesh and blood, and the breathcame back to it until all of the Prince's train were alive again; but asfor the Wizard, the water could not pass the gold thread, so there hesits until this day--unless some busybody has untied the magic knot. Then the fairy flew away, singing a low, happy song. 

When the Prince and the Princess came to the Garden, there was a weddingwhich lasted a month, and then they rode off toward the west. 

After they had gone, the Queen whispered to the Lady-in-waiting, "You see what careful parents can do! The first fairy godmother wasquite wrong about the Prince of the Black Heart!"

But at that very moment, the Prince had bared his arm to pluck awater-flower, as they rested beside the way. 

"What is that black mark on your arm?" asked the Princess. 

"Oh, " said the Prince, laughing, "that is just a scar I have borne frombirth. It is in the shape of a heart, and so, for a jest, my people callme the Prince of the Black Heart. "

"Black Heart, indeed!" cried the Little Princess, angrily. 

And that is the end of the story, for if you have no fear in your heart, black magic is no such great thing after all. 

But if any old fogy should wag his gray beard and say there is not aword of truth in it, you may be very sure that he came to fairyland atthe narrow place, and never saw it at all. So you may just smile at him, for there is one thing, at least, that you know more about than he does!

 [Illustration]

MOPSA THE FAIRY

RETOLD FROM JEAN INGELOW

 "_For he that hath his own world Hath many worlds more. _"

A boy, whom I knew very well, was once going through a meadow which wasfull of buttercups. He sat down by an old hawthorn hedge which wascovered with blossoms, and took out a slice of plum-cake for his lunch. While the boy was eating, he observed that this hedge was very highand thick, and that there was a great hollow in the trunk of the oldthorn-tree, and he heard a twittering as if there was a nest somewhereinside. So he thrust his head in, twisted himself around, and looked up. After getting used to the dim light in the hollow of the tree, he saw, agood way above his head, a curious nest. It was about three times aslarge as a goldfinch's. Just then he thought he heard some little voicescry, "Jack, Jack!"

"I must get near, " said the boy. So he began to wriggle and twisthimself up, and just as he reached the top three heads which had beenpeeking over the edge of the nest suddenly popped down again. 

"Those heads had no beaks, and the things have no feathers, " said Jack, as he stood on tip-toe and poked in one of his fingers. 

When he snatched one of them out of the nest, it gave a loud squeak, andJack was so frightened that he lost his footing, dropped it, and slippeddown himself. Luckily, he was not hurt, nor the "thing" either. It wascreeping about like an old baby, and had on a little frock and pinafore. 

THE FAIRY BABY'S LUNCH

"It's a fairy!" exclaimed Jack, "and this must be a fairies' nest. "

The young Fairy climbed up the side of the hollow and scrambled againinto her nest, and Jack followed. Upon which all the nestlings popped uptheir heads, and showing their pretty white teeth pointed at the sliceof cake. 

"It's a small piece, and I may not have anything more to eat for a longtime, " said Jack; "but your mouths are very small, so you shall eachhave a piece. "

The young fairies were a long time munching the cake, and before theyhad finished it began to be rather dark, because a thunder-storm wascoming up. The wind rose and made the old tree rock, and creak, andtremble. The little Fairies were so frightened that they got out of thenest and crept into Jack's pockets. 

After the storm was over, Jack pulled one of the Fairies out of hiswaistcoat pocket and said to her: "It is time for supper. Where are wegoing to get it?" Then in the light of the moon he looked at her veryattentively. "When I first saw you in the nest, " said he, "you had apinafore on, and now you have a smart little apron with lace around it. "

"That is because I am much older now, " said the Fairy. "We never takesuch a long time to grow up as you do. Put me into your pocket again, and whistle as loudly as you can. "

THE GREAT WHITE BIRD

So Jack whistled loudly; and suddenly without hearing anything, he feltsomething take hold of his legs and give him a jerk which hoisted him onto its back, where he sat astride. It was a large white bird, andpresently he found that they were rising up through the trees and outinto the moonlight, with Jack on the bird's back and all the fairies inhis pockets. 

"And so we are going to Fairy-land, " exclaimed Jack; "how delightful!"

As the evening grew dark the great white bird began to light up. She didit in this way. First, one of her eyes began to beam with a beautifulgreen light, and then when it was as bright as a lamp, the other eyebegan to shine, and the light of that eye was red. So they sailedthrough the darkness, Jack reminding the bird once in a while that hewas very hungry. 

TO THE FAIR CITY

They were sailing over the ocean by this time, and there were boats andvessels. The great white bird hovered among them, making choice of oneto take Jack and the Fairies up the wonderful river which leads toFairy-land. Finally she set him down in a beautiful little open boat, with a great carved figure-head to it. The bird said: "Lie down in thebottom of the boat and go to sleep. You will dream that you have someroast fowl, some new potatoes, and an apple pie. Mind you, don't eat toomuch in your dream, or you will be sorry for it when you wake. " Jackput his arms around the neck of the bird and hugged her; then she spreadher wings and sailed slowly away. Then Jack fell asleep in the rockingboat, and dreamed as the bird promised, and when he woke up he was nothungry any more!

 [Illustration: IT WAS A LARGE WHITE BIRD FROM A DRAWING BY HARRY ROUNTREE]

Morning came, and the Fairies were still asleep in his pocket. The boatmoved on through the night, and now he found himself in the outlet ofthe wonderful river, the shores of which were guarded, not by realsoldiers, but by rose-colored flamingoes. 

Now that he had fairies in his pockets, he could understand bird talk, and so he heard many wise words from the birds of that country whichguided him on his way. 

It was not long before he came to the city that was the capital. It wasa fair day, and the city square was full of white canopies, lined withsplendid flutings of pink. It was impossible to be sure whether theywere real tents, or gigantic mushrooms. Each one of the people who soldin these tents had a little high cap on his head shaped just like abee-hive made of straw. In fact, Jack soon saw bees flying in and out, and it was evident that these folks had their honey made on thepremises. 

THE LITTLE OLD FAIRY WOMAN

After Jack had visited the fairy city, he went back to the river. Thewater was so delightfully clear that he thought he would have a swim, sohe took off his clothes and folded them very carefully so as not to hurtthe Fairies, and laid them beside a hay-cock. When he came out he saw alittle old woman with spectacles on, knitting beside his clothes. Shesmiled upon him pleasantly. 

"I will give you some breakfast out of my basket, " said she. So she tookout a saucerful of honey, a roll of bread, and a cup of milk. 

"Thank you, " said Jack, "but I am not a beggar boy, so I can buy thisbreakfast. You look very poor. "

It seems that the old woman was very poor; in fact, she was a slave, andon that very day they were about to sell her in the slave market in thecity square. So Jack went along into the city again with her, and whenshe was put up for sale, he bought her from her cruel master, althoughit took a half-crown, the biggest piece of money that he had. His nextlargest piece he gave to the little woman, and told her to buy someclothes with it. She came back to the boat where Jack was, with herhands empty, but her face full of satisfaction. 

THE WONDERFUL PURPLE ROBE

"Why, you have not bought any new clothes, " said Jack. 

"I have bought what I wanted, " said the Fairy Woman; and she took out ofher pocket a little tiny piece of purple ribbon, with a gold-coloredsatin edge, and a very small tortoise-shell comb. 

She took the piece of ribbon and pulled and pulled it until it was aslarge as a handkerchief. Then she pulled and pulled it again, and thesilk stretched until it nearly filled the boat. Next, the little oldwoman pulled off her ragged gown and put on the silk. It was now a mostbeautiful robe of purple, with a gold border, and it just fitted her. Then she took out the little tortoise-shell comb, pulled off her cap andthrew it into the river. As she combed her hair, it grew much longer andthicker, until it fell in waves all about her body. It all turned goldcolor, and she was so covered with it that you could not see one bit ofher except her eyes, which peeped out and were very bright. 

Then she began to gather up her lovely locks and said: "Master, look atme now!" So she threw back the hair from her face, and it was abeautiful young face, and she looked so happy that Jack was glad he hadbought her with his half-crown. 

THE MAGIC KISS

Then instantly the little Fairies awoke and sprang out of Jack'spockets. One of them had a green velvet cap and sword; the second had awhite spangled robe, and lovely rubies and emeralds around her neck; butthe third one, who sat down on Jack's knee, had a white frock and a bluesash, was very little, and she had a face just like that of a sweetlittle child. 

"How comes it that you are not like the others?" asked Jack. Sheanswered: "It is because you kissed me. "

"Somehow, " Jack explained to the former Fairy Slave, "she was myfavorite. "

"Then you will have to let her sit on your knee, master, sometimes, " sheexplained; "and you must take special care of her, for she cannot nowtake the same care of herself that others can. The love of a mortalworks changes indeed to the life of a fairy. "

"I don't want to have a slave, " said Jack to the little lady. "Can't youfind some way to be wholly free again?"

"Yes, master, I can be free if you can think of anything that you reallylike better than the half-crown that you paid for me. "

"I would like going up this river to Fairy-land much better, " saidJack. So suddenly the river became full of thousands of little peoplecoming down the stream in rafts. They had come to take the Fairy Womanaway with them. 

THE FAIRY WOMAN'S PARTING GIFT

"What gift may I give you before I go?" she asked. 

"I should like, " said Jack, "to have a little tiny bit of that purplegown of yours with the gold border. "

So she told Jack to lend her his knife, and with it she cut off a verysmall piece of the skirt of her robe and gave it to him. "Now I adviseyou, " she said, "never to stretch this unless you want to make somethingparticular out of it. "

"Will ye step aboard, my dearest?" sang the Fairy Woman as she sailedaway. 

 "Will ye step aboard, my dearest? for the high seas lie before us. So I sailed adown the river in those days without alloy. We are launched! But when, I wonder, shall a sweeter sound float o'er us Than yon 'pull'e haul'e, pull'e haul'e, yoy! heave, hoy!'"

All Jack had to do to make his magic boat go wherever he wished was togive it a command, so he ordered it to float up the river to Fairy-land. 

It was not long before the towers of the castle of the Queen ofFairy-land could be seen in the distance; and soon the castle, with itsbeautiful gardens, was close beside them along the river bank. But Jackdid not dare to enter the castle until he was sure of a shelter of hisown. So he pulled and pulled at the piece of purple silk, until itbecame large enough to make a splendid canopy like a tent. It roofed inall the after-part of the boat, so now he had a delightful little homeof his own, and there was no fear of its being blown away, for no windever blows in Fairy-land. 

TO THE PALACE

When the Fairy Woman went back to her people she took all of the fairychildren with her, and left only Mopsa with Jack. Now, Jack carefullywashed her face, and put a beautiful clean white frock on her. 

"We will go into the Queen's palace together, " said he. 

The Queen greeted Mopsa and Jack very kindly; and every day they went upto the palace, and every night back again to the tent on the littleboat. 

One song which they liked to sing made Jack rather uncomfortable:

 "And all the knights shall woo again, And all the doves shall coo again, And all the dreams come true again, And Jack shall go home. "

Every evening Jack noticed that Mopsa was a little taller, and hadgrown-up to a higher button on his coat. She looked much wiser, too. "You must learn to read, " said he; and as she made no objection, hearranged daisies and buttercups into the forms of the letters, and shelearned nearly all of them in one evening, while crowds of the fairiesfrom the castle looked on, hanging from the boughs and shouting out thenames of the letters as Mopsa said them. They were very polite to Jack, for they gathered up all the flowers for him, and emptied them fromtheir little caps at his feet as fast as he wanted them. 

MOPSA IS TO BE A QUEEN

Now it seems that as soon as Mopsa was full grown she was destined to beQueen herself. One day, just before dusk, she said to Jack: "Jack, willyou give me your little purse that has the silver fourpence in it?"

Now this purse was lined with a nice piece of pale green silk; and whenJack gave it to her, she pulled the silk out and stretched it, just asthe fairy woman had done, and it became a most lovely cloak. Then shetwisted up her long hair into a coil, fastened it around her head, andcalled to the fireflies, which were beginning to glitter on the trees;and they came and alighted in a row upon the coil, and turned intodiamonds directly! So now Mopsa had a crown and a robe. She was sobeautiful that Jack thought he would never be tired of looking at her. 

The next morning Jack found that his fairy boat had floated away. Hecalled to it, but it would not return. "Never mind, " said Mopsa, "mycountry is still waiting for me beyond the purple mountains. I shallnever be happy unless we go there, and we can go together on foot. "

So they walked toward the purple mountains hand-in-hand. When nightcame, and they were too tired to walk any further, the shooting starsbegan to appear in all directions; and at Mopsa's command they brought alittle cushion, and Jack and Mopsa sat upon it, and the stars carriedthe two over the paths of the mountains and half-way down the otherside. When they awoke the next morning, there spread before them theloveliest garden one ever saw, and among the trees and woods was a mostbeautiful castle. 

 [Illustration: QUEEN MOPSA FLIES TO HER KINGDOM FROM A DRAWING BY FLORENCE MARY ANDERSON]

"Oh, Jack!" said Mopsa, "I am sure that castle is the place I am to livein. I shall soon be Queen and there I shall reign. "

"And I shall be King there, " said Jack. "Shall I?"

"Yes, if you can, " answered Mopsa; "and in Fairy-land, of course, whatever you can do, you may do. "

It was a long way to the castle; and at last Jack and Mopsa were sotired that they sat down, and Mopsa began to cry. 

"Remember, " said Jack, "that you are nearly a Queen, and you can neverreach your castle by sitting still. "

All of a sudden they heard the sweetest sound in the world; it was thecastle clock, and it was striking twelve at noon. As it finishedstriking, they came out at the farther edge of a great bed of reeds, and here was the castle straight before them. 

Inside the castle lived a lovely lady, and when she saw Mopsa she tookher to her arms. "Who are you?" asked the lovely lady. 

"I am a Queen, " said Mopsa. 

"Yes, my sweet Queen, " answered the lady, "I know you are. "

"Do you promise that you will be kind to me until I grow up?" inquiredMopsa. "Will you love me and teach me how to reign? I am only ten yearsold, and the throne is too big for me to sit upon, but I am Queen. "

"Yes, " answered the lady, "and I will love you just as if I were yourmother. "

QUEEN MOPSA

When Mopsa ran through the castle door it shut suddenly behind her, andJack was left behind. After great difficulty he succeeded in climbingthe walls, and crept through a window; and when he got inside he saw avery wonderful sight. There was Mopsa in the great audience-room, dressed superbly in a white satin gown, with a long train of crimsonvelvet, which was glittering with diamonds. It reached almost from oneend of the gallery to the other, and had hundreds of fairies to hold itto keep it in its place; but in her hair were no jewels, only a littlecrown made of daisies, and on her shoulders her robe was fastened with alittle golden image of a boat. These things were to show the land shehad come from and the vessel she had come in. At one side of Mopsa stoodthe lovely lady; and on the other, to Jack's amazement, a little boy ofhis own size, who looked exactly like himself. 

"I will go in, " said Jack. "There is nothing to prevent me. " He set hisfoot on the step, and while he hesitated Mopsa came out to meet him. Helooked at her earnestly, because her lovely eyes were not looking athim, but far away toward the west. 

"Jack lives there, " she said, as if speaking to herself. "He will playthere again, in his father's garden. "

Then she brought her eyes down slowly from the rose-flush in the cloudand looked at him and said, "Jack. "

"Yes, " said Jack, "here I am. What is it that you wish to say?"

She answered, "I am come to give you back your kiss. "

GOOD-BY TO MOPSA

So she stooped forward as she stood on her step and kissed him, and hertears fell on his cheek. 

"Farewell, " she said; and she turned and went up the steps into thegreat hall. Jack gazed at her as she entered, and would fain havefollowed, but could not stir, the great doors closed together again, andhe was left outside. Then he knew, without having been told, that heshould never enter them any more. 

Suddenly he perceived that reeds were growing up between him and thegreat doors, and he walked on among them toward the west. Then, as therosy sky turned gold color, all on a sudden he came to the edge of thereed-bed and walked out upon a rising ground. Jack ran up it, lookingfor the castle. At last he saw it, lying so far, so very far off thatall its clear outlines were lost; and very soon, as it grew dark, theyseemed to mingle with the shapes of the hill and the forest. 

He looked up into the rosy sky, and held out his arms, and called:"Come! Oh, come!" In a minute or two he saw a little black markoverhead, a small speck, that grew larger and larger. In another instanthe saw a red light and a green light; then he heard the winnowing noiseof a bird's great wings, and suddenly the great white bird alighted athis feet and said: "Here I am. "

"I wish to go home, " said Jack. 

"That is well, " answered the bird. 

As Jack flew through the darkness he thought once again of the littleboy who looked just like himself, who lived in the far castle; and hedid not feel sure whether he himself was upon the back of the bird orwithin the castle with Queen Mopsa. Then he fell asleep, and did notdream at all, nor know anything more until the great bird woke him. 

"Wake up, now, Jack, " she said, "we are at home. "

As they flew toward the earth Jack saw the church, and the wood, and hisfather's house, which seemed to be starting up to meet him. In twoseconds he stepped down into the deep grass of his father's meadow. 

"Good-by, " said the great bird. "Make haste and run in, for the dews arefalling. " And before he could ask her one question, or even thank her, she made a wide sweep over the grass, beat her magnificent wings andsoared away. 

JACK COMES HOME

Jack opened the little gate that led into the garden, stole through theshrubbery and came up to the drawing-room window and peeped in. Hisfather and mother were sitting there, his mother sat with her back tothe open window, but a candle was burning, and she was reading aloudabout a Shepherd Lady and a Lord. 

At last his father noticed him, and beckoned him to come in. So Jackdid, and got upon his father's knee, and laid his head on his father'swaistcoat, and wondered what he would think if he should tell him aboutthe fairies that had been in somebody else's waistcoat pocket. Hethought, besides, what a great thing a man is. He had never seenanything so large in Fairy-land, nor so important; so, on the whole, hewas glad that he had come back and felt very happy. 

"I think, " said his father, "it must be time this man of ours was inbed. "

So his mother kissed him good-night, and he went up into his own roomand said his prayers. He got into his little white bed and comfortablyfell asleep. 

THE LINE OF GOLDEN LIGHT, OR THE LITTLE BLIND SISTER[I]

BY ELIZABETH HARRISON

Once upon a time there lived a child whose name was Avilla; she wassweet and loving, and fair to look upon, with everything in the world tomake her happy--but she had a little blind sister, and Avilla could notbe perfectly happy as long as her sister's eyes were closed so that shecould not see God's beautiful world, nor enjoy His bright sunshine. Little Avilla kept wondering if there was not something that she coulddo which would open this blind sister's eyes. 

At last, one day, she heard of an old, old woman, nobody knew how old, who had lived for hundreds of years in a dark cave, not many miles away. This queer, old woman knew a secret enchantment, by means of which theblind could receive their sight. The child Avilla asked her parents'permission to make a journey to the cave, in order that she might try topersuade the old woman to tell her this secret. "Then, " exclaimed she, joyfully, "my dear sister need sit no longer in darkness. " Her parentsgave a somewhat unwilling consent, as they heard many strange and wickedstories about the old woman. At last, however, one fine spring morning, Avilla started on her journey. She had a long distance to walk, but thehappy thoughts in her heart made the time pass quickly, and the soft, cool breeze seemed to be whispering a song to her all the way. 

When she came to the mouth of the cave, it looked so dark and forbiddingthat she almost feared to enter it, but the thought of her little blindsister gave her courage, and she walked in. At first she could seenothing, for all the sunshine was shut out by the frowning rocks thatguarded the entrance. Soon, however, she discerned the old woman sittingon a stone chair, spinning a pile of flax into a fine, fine thread. Sheseemed bent nearly double with age, and her face wore a look of worryand care, which made her appear older. 

The child Avilla came close to her side, and thought, she is so agedthat she must be hard of hearing. The old woman did not turn her head, nor stop her spinning. Avilla waited a moment, and then took freshcourage, and said, "I have come to ask you if you will tell me how I cancure my blind sister?" The strange creature turned and stared at her asif she were very much surprised; she then spoke in a deep, hollow voice, so hollow that it sounded as if she had not spoken for a very long time. "Oh, " said she with a sneer, "I can tell you well enough, but you'll notdo it. People who can see, trouble themselves very little about thosewho are blind!" This last was said with a sigh, and then she scowledat Avilla until the child's heart began to beat very fast. But thethought of her little blind sister made her brave again, and she criedout, "Oh please tell me. I will do anything to help my dear sister!" Theold woman looked long and earnestly at her this time. She then stoopeddown and searched in the heap of the fine-spun thread which lay at herside until she found the end of it. This she held out to the child, saying, "Take this and carry it all around the world, and when you havedone that, come to me and I will show you how your blind sister may becured. " Little Avilla thanked her and eagerly seized the tiny thread, and wrapping it carefully around her hand that she might not lose it, turned and hastened out of the close, damp cave. 

 [Illustration: "AVILLA RAN FORWARD AND CRIED: 'NOW GIVE SIGHT TO MY SISTER'"]

She had not traveled far before she looked back to be sure the threadhad not broken, it was so thin. Imagine her surprise to see that insteadof its being a gray thread of spun flax, it was a thread of goldenlight, that glittered and shone in the sunlight, as if it were made ofthe most precious stuff on earth. She felt sure now that it must be amagic thread, and that it somehow would help her to cure her blindsister. So she hastened on, glad and happy. 

Soon, however, she approached a dark, dense forest. No ray of sunlightseemed ever to have fallen on the trunks of its trees. In the distanceshe thought she could hear the growl of bears and the roar of lions. Herheart almost stopped beating. "Oh, I can never go through that gloomyforest, " said she to herself, and her eyes filled with tears. She turnedto retrace her steps, when the soft breeze which still accompanied herwhispered: "Look at the thread you have been carrying! Look at thegolden thread!" She looked back, and the bright, tiny line of lightseemed to be actually smiling at her, as it stretched across the softgreensward, far into the distance, and, strange to say, each tiny bladeof grass which it had touched, had blossomed into a flower. So, as thelittle girl looked back, she saw a flowery path with a glittering lineof golden light running through it. "How beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Idid not notice the flowers as I came along, but the enchanted threadwill make the next traveler see them. "

This thought filled her with such joy that she pushed forward into thedark woods. Sometimes she knocked her head against a tree which stood inher way; sometimes she almost feared she was lost, but every now andthen she would look back and the sight of the tiny thread of goldenlight always renewed her courage. Once in a while she felt quite surethat she could see the nose of some wild beast poking out in front ofher, but when she came nearer it proved to be the joint in a tree trunk, or some strange fungus which had grown on a low branch. Then she wouldlaugh at her own fear and go on. One of the wonderful things about themysterious little thread which she carried in her hand was, that itseemed to open a path behind it, so that one could easily follow in herfootsteps without stumbling over fallen trees, or bumping against livingones. Every now and then a gray squirrel would frisk by her in afriendly fashion, as if to assure her that she was not alone, even inthe twilight of the dark woods. By and by she came to the part of theforest where the trees were less dense, and soon she was out in the gladsunshine again. 

But now a new difficulty faced her. As far as she could see stretched alow, swampy marsh of wet land. The mud and slime did not look veryinviting, but the thought of her little blind sister came to her again, and she bravely plunged into the mire. The dirty, dripping mud clung toher dress and made her feet so heavy that she grew weary lifting themout of it. Sometimes she seemed to be stuck fast, and it was only witha great effort that she could pull out, first one foot, and then theother. A lively green frog hopped along beside her, and seemed to say, in his funny, croaking voice, "Never mind the mud, you'll soon bethrough it. " When she had at last reached the end of the slippery, sticky marsh, and stood once more on firm ground, she looked back at thetiny thread of golden light which trailed along after her. What do youthink had happened? Wherever the mysterious and beautiful thread hadtouched the mud, the water had dried up, and the earth had become firmand hard, so that any other person who might wish to cross the swampyplace could walk on firm ground. This made the child Avilla so happythat she began to sing softly to herself. 

Soon, however, her singing ceased. As the day advanced, the air grewhotter and hotter. The trees had long ago disappeared, and now the grassbecame parched and dry, until at last she found herself in the midst ofa dreary desert. For miles and miles the scorching sand stretched onevery side. She could not even find a friendly rock in whose shadow shemight rest for a time. The blazing sun hurt her eyes and made her headache, and the hot sand burned her feet. Still she toiled on, cheered bya swarm of yellow butterflies that fluttered just ahead of her. At lastthe end of the desert was reached, just as the sun disappeared behind acrimson cloud. Dusty and weary, the child Avilla was about to throwherself down on the ground to rest. As she did so, her eyes turned tolook once more at the golden thread which had trailed behind her all dayon the hot sand. Lo, and behold! What did she see? Tall shade trees hadsprung up along the path she had traveled, and each tiny grain of sandthat the wonderful thread had touched was now changed into a diamond, orruby, or emerald, or some other precious stone. On one side the pathwayacross the desert shone and glittered, while on the other the gracefultrees cast a cool and refreshing shade. 

Little Avilla stood amazed as she looked at the beautiful trees and thesparkling gems. All feeling of weariness was gone. The air now seemedmild and refreshing, and she thought that she could hear in the distancesome birds singing their evening songs. One by one the bright stars cameout in the quiet sky above her head, as if to keep guard while she sleptthrough the night. 

The next morning she started forward on her long journey round theworld. She traveled quite pleasantly for a while, thinking of how cooland shady the desert path would now be for any one who might have totravel it, and of the precious jewels she had left for some one else togather up. She could not stop for them herself, she was too anxious topress forward and finish her task, in order that her little blind sistermight the sooner see. 

After a time she came to some rough rocks tumbled about in greatconfusion, as if angry giants had hurled them at each other. Soon thepath grew steeper and steeper, and the rocks sharper and sharper, untilthey cut her feet. Before her she could see nothing but more rocks untilthey piled themselves into a great mountain, which frowned down uponher, as much as to say, "How dare you attempt to climb to my summit?"The brave child hesitated. Just then two strong eagles with outspreadwings rose from their nest of sticks on the side of a steep cliff nearby, and soared majestically and slowly aloft. As they passed far aboveher head they uttered a loud cry which seemed to say, "Be brave andstrong and you shall meet us at the mountain-top. "

Sometimes the ragged edges of the rocks tore her dress, and sometimesthey caught the tiny golden thread, and tangled it so that she had toturn back and loosen it from their hold. The road was very steep and shewas compelled to sit down every few minutes and get her breath. Stillshe climbed on, keeping the soaring eagles always in sight. As sheneared the top, she turned and looked back at the enchanted threadof golden light which she had carried through all the long, strangejourney. Another marvelous thing had happened! The rugged path of sharp, broken rocks had changed into broad and beautiful white marble steps, over which trailed the shining thread of light. She knew that she hadmade a pathway up this difficult mountain and her heart rejoiced. 

She turned again to proceed on her journey, when, only a short distancein front of her, she saw the dark cave in which lived the strange oldwoman who had bidden her carry the line of light around the world. Shehastened forward, and on entering the cave, she saw the old creature, almost bent double, still spinning the mysterious thread. Avilla ranforward and cried out, "I have done all you told me to do, now givesight to my sister. " The old woman sprang to her feet, seized the threadof golden light and exclaimed, "At last! at last! I am freed! The spellhas now been broken. "

Then came so strange and wonderful a change that Avilla could hardlybelieve her own eyes. Instead of the ugly, cross-looking old crone, there stood a beautiful princess, with long golden hair, and tender blueeyes, her face radiant with joy. Her story was soon told. Hundreds ofyears ago she had been changed into the bent old woman, and shut up inthe dark cave on the mountain-side, because she, a daughter of the King, had been selfish and idle, thinking only of herself, and her punishmenthad been that she must remain thus disguised and separated from allcompanions and friends until she could find someone who would begenerous and brave enough to take the long, dangerous journey around theworld for the sake of others. Her mother had been a fairy princess andhad taught her many things which we mortals have yet to learn. Sheshowed the child Avilla how, by dipping the golden thread into a springof ordinary water, she could change the water into golden water, whichglittered and sparkled like liquid sunshine. Filling a pitcher with thisthey hastened together to where the little blind sister sat in darknesswaiting for some one to come and lead her home. The beautiful princesstold Avilla to dip her hands into the bowl of enchanted water, and thenpress them upon the closed eyes of her sister. They opened! And thelittle blind girl could see!

After that the fairy princess came and lived with little Avilla and hersister, and taught them how to do many wonderful things, of which I havenot time to tell you to-day. 

 [I] From "In Story-Land, " by Elizabeth Harrison; used by permission of the publishers, the National Kindergarten and Elementary College, 2944 Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, Ill. 

 [Illustration]

A FAIRY STORY ABOUT A PHILOSOPHER'S STONE WHICH WAS LOST

BY M. BOWLEY

The Mermaids and the Sea-gulls were collected in crowds upon the shore. There was hardly a sound except the monotonous splash of little wavesbreaking, and the rippling rattle of the shingle as it followed thewater returning. Thousands of eyes were fixed upon the piece of rockyland that jutted out into the sea, where the Philosopher's magnificentcastle stood, or _had_ stood, for there was now very little of it left. No wonder the Mermaids and the Mer-babies and the Sea-gulls wereastonished. Even the sea was speckled with fish who were putting theirheads out of the water to watch. For the Philosopher's castle was fadingaway, melting like mist before the sun!

The Philosopher himself could be seen rushing about, tearing hisscanty white hair. That was another equally astonishing thing, for onlyyesterday the Philosopher had been young and handsome, as well as therichest and greatest man in all the land--so rich and great that he wasto have married the Princess very soon. 

Now he was old and wild and gaunt. A tattered brown cloak with rents andholes in it hung from his thin shoulders, flapping as he ran about, andall his dingy dress was dirty and ragged. He looked like a wanderingpeddler. What had become of his many servants? Where were his horses andchariots, and the strange beasts from foreign lands which had wanderedin the beautiful gardens--the gardens with the pavilions, where all theflowers had been in bloom for the Princess?

There was only one tower standing now, and the top of that was growingmore and more flimsy. Presently, through the walls, rooms could be seen. In one of them there stood a golden cage, and in it was a Parrot. 

Very soon the bars of the cage were like cobwebs, and the Parrot beganto tear them apart. Then he spread his wings with a joyful scream, andflew on to the rocks, above the heads of the crowds upon the shore. 

Immediately every one called a different question to the Parrot, whosmoothed his feathers and took no notice until, when the noise andexcitement were rather less, an old Sea-gull spoke for them all. Thenthe new-comer consented to tell what he knew of the events of the day. 

It was due, he said, to the Philosopher's having lost the Magic Stone. Upon this stone his youthful appearance, and everything that he owned, had depended. 

Early that morning a great tumult had suddenly arisen. The Philosopherwent out walking. Soon an old man had rushed in, crying that he had lostthe Magic Stone. He commanded every slave in the castle instantly toleave whatever work he was doing, and help to find it. At first no oneheeded him, for they could not any of them be persuaded that he wastheir master. Then the confusion had grown rapidly worse, for each onefound he was fading away, growing every moment more pale and thin. Asthe hours passed all the servants became white ghosts, and they floatedaway in companies together. 

 [Illustration: "EVERYONE CALLED A DIFFERENT QUESTION TO THE PARROT"]

The furniture was melting now in the same manner. The tables weresinking down, and all the vessels used for cooking, and what not, werefalling softly and noiselessly upon the floors--where there were anyfloors to hold them. Everything was blowing gently about, so that theair seemed filled with bits of cloud. Presently the remnants would beswept into the sea by the passing breezes. 

"And how have you escaped?" asked the Sea-gull. 

The Parrot raised his crest and looked very much offended. 

"Because _I_ am real, " he said with dignity. "I was the only real thingin the castle. The Philosopher stole me at the same time that he stolethe Magic Stone. "

"Stole it?" cried the Mermaids and the Mer-babies and the Sea-gulls. 

"Yes, " said the Parrot; "he stole it in a far-off land, and he stole me. I was to be a present to the Princess; for he thought of marrying thePrincess even at that time, and the Philosopher knew there was not inall the world another parrot like me. "

He opened his wings and puffed up every feather. He certainly was amagnificent creature. The grown-up Sea-gulls felt quite ashamed of theirhomely dresses of black and white; but the young ones only gaped, andcrowded open-mouthed to the front to look. 

The Parrot's snowy coat shaded different colors like opals when hemoved, and each feather was edged with gold. The crest upon his headsparkled as if there were diamonds in it, and under his wings he wasrose-red. 

"But I am free!" he cried, as the diamonds glittered and flashed, --"freeto go home where the palm-trees grow, and the sun shines as it nevershines in this chilly land! Look well at me while you can, for you willnever see me again. "

With that he poised a moment above them, then sailed away to the South, like a gorgeous monster butterfly. And they never did see him again. 

When they had watched him out of sight, and turned again, there wasnothing remaining of the castle, and the Philosopher, too, haddisappeared. The sun was setting, and the Mermaids and the Mer-babieswent to their homes in the sea, while the Sea-gulls put their littlegulls to bed in the nests among the rocks high above the restlesswaves. 

 * * *

Now all the talk was of the Philosopher's Magic Stone, and who shouldfind it. And at court every one was discussing how this unexpected turnof events would affect the Princess's marriage. It was to have takenplace in a very short time. The King was very angry. He considered thata slight had been cast upon the Princess and upon himself by thecarelessness of the Philosopher. He was not well pleased, either, to know that the great wealth of the man who was to have been hisson-in-law was all due to magic influences. Neither did he like whathe heard of the Philosopher's appearance when last he was seen. Heannounced that the Princess's wedding would take place at the timefixed, and that she should be married to the first Prince, or othersuitable candidate, who arrived on that day. And even the Philosophermight take his chance of being the first, if he were then in a positionto support the Princess in the luxury to which she had been accustomed. 

 [Illustration: "DO YOU THINK THE PHILOSOPHER WILL FIND THE STONE?" SHE ASKED OF THE ELDEST LADY-IN-WAITING. ]

As for the Princess herself, what did she think of it all? No one knew, for she did not say. She sat at her palace window, and looked out overthe distant mountains, and dreamed of her wedding day. 

"Do you think the Philosopher will find the Stone?" she asked of theEldest Lady-in-Waiting, who was in attendance. 

"We may well hope so, your Royal Highness, " said the Eldest Lady. "He isa great man and wise. I hear, too, that he had been walking only a shortdistance from the castle when he lost the Stone. It can hardly fail tobe found very soon. "

The Princess sat still and looked over toward the mountains. 

"Do you think the Philosopher will find the Stone?" she asked presentlyof the Youngest and Favorite Lady-in-Waiting. 

"Alas! your Royal Highness, I fear it is not likely, " said the FavoriteLady. "All the Sea-people have been searching day and night, I hear, andnothing has been heard of it yet. "

The Princess smiled. She still sat and smiled when the Favorite Ladywrapped a cloak about herself, and took a letter that lay by thePrincess's hand. Then, without permission or instruction, she set outtoward the mountains. The Princess rested her elbows on thewindow-ledge, and watched her out of sight, and perhaps wondered whowould be the earliest to arrive, and so fill the place of bridegroom, onher wedding-day. 

And all this time, as the Lady-in-Waiting had said, the Sea-people hadbeen searching day and night. 

The Mer-babies and the little Sea-gulls were quite neglected, and didno lessons; for every one was too busy to attend to them. They playedabout and romped on the shore when they grew tired of hunting for thePhilosopher's Stone. The Sea-gulls had told the land-birds, who weresearching the woods and the fields, while the fresh-water fish knew ofit from their relatives in the sea, and they were searching the lakesand the rivers. Then the Sea-gulls determined to consult the GreatAlbatross of the Southern Seas, the King among all sea-fowl. Theyarrived one sunny morning, and found him expecting them, for he hadheard what had happened--in the first place from the Parrot, who hadpassed that way. So he was prepared with his answer. It did not satisfythe Sea-gulls at all. They went away very much disappointed, for theAlbatross was in a bad temper, and said only:

"Go home and attend to the children. "

They waited about until late, but he would say nothing more. So theywere obliged to return and confess their want of success to theMermaids, who sympathized with them, and agreed that it was veryill-natured of the Albatross. They proposed to go to the Sea-serpent andask his advice, which the Sea-gulls thought a good plan. They set off atonce for the deep seas, where he lived, inquiring of the fish they metwhether any news had been heard. But the fish had nothing to tell, andthe Mermaids came to the Sea-serpent's home. 

He was curled on his great rock throne, with giant seaweeds of allcolors waving round him, and the stars of the anemones gleaming out fromdark corners. 

 [Illustration: CONSULTING THE WISE WHITE BEAR]

The Sea-serpent listened to the request of the Mermaids; but they metwith no better luck than the Sea-gulls, for he said exactly the same:"Go home and attend to the children. "

Then he retired into the great caves, and would not come out again. 

So the Mermaids went home disconsolate. They began to think they mighthave to give up the hope of finding the Magic Stone. 

Of course the Mer-babies heard all that was going on. They discussedthe situation, as usual. They did not mean to be left behind in thisbusiness, though they were not considered to be of any consequence. Itwas evidently correct to consult somebody who lived at a distance, andthey thought of the Wise White Bear. He was farther off, too, thaneither the Albatross or the Sea-serpent, for he lived at the north pole;but when he was mentioned the very young Mer-babies for once suggestedthat it was nearly bedtime, and they found that they were sleepy. Someone whispered that the White Bear ate the poor seals, and the youngestMer-babies crept into holes in the rocks to rest, they said, while thelittle Sea-gulls went walking home, one behind the other, right acrossthe sands, without having been called. But the older Mer-babies set offfor the north pole. 

They arrived home next morning, very tired and very cross. When thesleepy ones who had stayed behind asked what the Wise Bear had said, they would not tell, and for the first time the Mer-babies quarreled. They declared in the end that they would none of them look for the"Philosopher's ugly Stone ever any more. "

So if the Princess really wanted to marry the Philosopher, that day shelost some of her helpers. But no one knew what she wished, for she nevermentioned him. She sat at her window that looked out over the mountains, and she gazed ever outward. 

It was the night before her wedding. She had been there all day, and formany days. It was very quiet, and the lamps were lighted. The EldestLady-in-Waiting spread out the lovely robes, ready for the morrow, wherethe Princess might see them; but she never moved nor spoke. As midnightapproached she leaned out and let the soft wind blow upon her face. 

The hour of midnight was striking from all the belfries, when a greatclatter sounded down below in the courtyard. Horses neighed, and men ranabout. The Princess leaned more forward, and listened. Then a horseman, whose jewels sparkled in the moonlight, looked up and kissed a hand toher, and she kissed hers to him. It was one minute past midnight, andthe morning of her wedding-day! She dropped the curtains and turned togreet the Favorite Lady-in-Waiting, who had come in. The Princess threwher arms round her Lady's neck to welcome her back, she was so glad andhappy. 

So it came about that the Prince of the City Over the Mountains was thefirst to arrive on that eventful morning; for, though through all therest of the night, and up to the very hour of the wedding, noble Princesand their retinues were received in state by the King, all of them hadto be told that they were too late, and most of them rode off again atonce. Some who had never seen the Princess, but who had been attractedby reports of her beauty and her stateliness, waited to attend hermarriage feast, and to regret that they had not hurried themselves alittle more. 

As for the Philosopher, who should have been one of the chief persons ofinterest on that important occasion, no one even thought of him, unlessthe Princess did. But she looked too well pleased for any one to supposeshe missed him--which was fortunate, for he was never heard of any more. 

When the eventful day was past, the Mermaids and the Sea-gulls coveredthe shore once again, talking it over, and the Mer-babies and the littleSea-gulls stood around listening. 

Presently the Mer-mothers said: "No more holidays. Lessons to-morrow!"and the Mer-babies sighed, and the little Sea-gulls looked gloomy. 

One of the Mer-babies stepped forward, holding something. 

"Please take care of our pretty ball for us, " she said, "until holidayscome again. "

As she was speaking the Mermaids sprang up, and they and all thegrown-up Sea-gulls cried with one accord:

"The Philosopher's Stone!"

And, sure enough, it was. It lay in the Mermaid's hand, all glowing withits magic blue, pale and dark by turns, its wonderful veins panting asif it were a living thing, its threads of gold moving and twiningunderneath, round the red heart burning deep in the midst of it. 

"That!" cried every one of the Mer-babies and every one of the littleSea-gulls. "Why, we have had _that_ all the time! We found it on thesand, and we have played with it every day since!"

Then the Sea-gulls remembered what the Albatross had said, and theMermaids remembered what the Sea-serpent had said, and the Mer-babiesremembered what the Wise White Bear had said, and they all looked at oneanother. 

Now arose the question, What should be done with the Stone?

It needed no long discussion to settle. Every one agreed that it shouldbe given to the Youngest Lady-in-Waiting; for she had done for thePrincess what no one else had thought of doing, in carrying her letterto her true love so that he might be in time to win her. The happy dayjust past was entirely owing to her devotion. 

The Stone was duly presented to her, and, accordingly, she became therichest and most beautiful woman in the land, as she was already thekindest, while the Sea-folks generally, and the Mer-babies inparticular, gained great fame and distinction; for had they not foundthe Magic Stone when it was lost, and given it to the nation's favorite?And they do say that the Favorite Lady-in-Waiting married a charmingPrince almost (but not quite!) as captivating as the husband of thePrincess. 

 [Illustration: "IT WAS ONE MINUTE PAST MIDNIGHT, AND THE MORNING OF HER WEDDING DAY!"]

 [Illustration: THE BAD TEMPER OF THE PRINCESS]

By Marian Burton

1

Once upon a time, in a dainty little kingdom all parks and riversand cottages and flowers, there lived a jolly, red-faced king namedRudolpho. Every one of his subjects loved him, the surrounding kingswere his loyal friends, and the neighboring kingdoms were on the bestof terms with him. Indeed, they had a happy way, these old kings, ofexchanging thrones for a week now and then, just as some preachersnowadays exchange pulpits--to prove, I suppose, how very good their ownis, after all. This king about whom I am telling you was fat, of course, and looked very like our good friend Santa Claus. 

Yet, strange as it may seem, with all these blessings--a rich kingdom, faithful subjects, and a loving wife--this good king was not happy. There was one cloud, a very pretty silver-edged cloud, but yet a cloud, which hung just in front of the sun of his happiness and cast a greatbig shadow. 

The king had a daughter, the Princess Madge, his only child; and thoughshe was obedient in everything else, she just wouldn't, _wouldn't_, marry. Now the king was very anxious for her to marry and settle down onthe throne, because he was growing old. Every morning for three weeks, just before breakfast, he had had three separate twinges of pain. Thequeen said it was because of his rheumatism, but he knew better; he wassure that it was old age, and it made him very eager to have the kingdomin the hands of the new son-in-law king before he died. 

Of course there were plenty of princes and dukes and barons and lordswho would gladly have wedded the pretty princess for her own sweet sakealone, to say nothing of the prospect of being king some day, but shewouldn't have one of them. There was not a man in the kingdom nor in anyof the surrounding kingdoms who suited her capricious fancy. Princes ofhaughty mien, princes of gentle manner, handsome princes, ugly princes, tall princes, short princes, fat princes, lean princes, had beenintroduced at the court, had been encouraged by the king and queen, andhad sought to gain her favor. She had been showered with gifts of rareflowers and precious stones, and had received thousands of littleletters smelling of perfume; but from prince, from jewels, and fromwritten vows of love she turned away with the same cheerfuldetermination. 

A princess is a lonely little body, you know, and custom was so rigid inthe time of the Princess Madge that she had no one to talk to exceptingPussy Willow, the royal kitten. She had no brother, no sister, nocousin, and no dearest friend. She didn't even have a chance to speakfreely to her own father and mother. It is true, she took breakfast withthem every morning at eleven in the great breakfast-room, but thebutlers and waiters and pages and flunkies were always standing about, with their ears pricked up and their eyes bulging out, so that no onedared whisper a secret or have even the jolliest little family quarrel. It is true her royal mama came at precisely ten o'clock to kiss her goodnight every evening, but there were always a dozen maids and ladies inwaiting, and it was impossible to have a real good talk. But PussyWillow was her constant companion, and to Pussy she told everything. That friendly cat was the only living thing in the whole kingdom thatreally knew that the princess intended to marry sometime. That was whatworried the king and queen so much; Madge made them believe that shewould never marry any one, never, _never_, NEVER, but would live aloneto the end of her days and leave the kingdom to any one who wished forit. 

 [Illustration: "Came at precisely ten o'clock to kiss her good-night"]

"Pussy, I wouldn't tell a story to the king and queen for the world, butisn't it fun to see them take on so? If I really thought that papa wasill and likely to die, I would be as good as gold; but those littlepains of his are only rheumatism, I am sure, so I don't mind teasinghim just a little. You know, Pussy, that when my ideal comes--oh, youneedn't look up and blink in such surprise, for I really have an ideal, and I will tell you all about him!" Whereupon Pussy shook her head tillher gold-bell necklace tinkled loudly, then she yawned a little andbegan to wash her face. She looked very wise as she sat there strokingher whiskers and thumping thoughtfully on the floor with her bunchytail. After thinking thus seriously for a few minutes, she suddenlybegan a sympathetic little purr-song which seemed to say:

"Go on, little mistress; I am all ready to listen, and I'll not tell asoul. " Then Princess Madge continued:

"I don't care whether he is prince or pauper, high or low, handsome orplain; but he must in any case be contented. You know what contentedmeans, Pussy--satisfied with what he has until he deserves and can getsomething better. If he is like that he will always be unselfish andhappy. Oh, yes, and I shall be happy, too. Now I am going to write aletter to papa and tell him that I will marry if he will find me acontented man. "

Quick as thought, the princess opened her rose-wood and gold desk, drewout some paper with her crest on it and a jeweled pen, and wrotedaintily and carefully. It took her a very long time, Pussy Willowthought. 

"Now, kitty, listen; I will read it to you:

 "To his Majesty the King, from her Royal Highness, the Princess Madge. 

 "DEAR OLD PAPA: I have at last decided to be married if you can find a man to suit me. Now read, my dear papa, and remember that this decision is final. I will marry the first contented man you can find, no matter who he is. Read this little poem; it is my guiding star at this very serious time:

 "'There is a jewel which no Indian mine can buy, No chemic art can counterfeit. It makes men rich in greatest poverty, Makes water wine, turns wooden cups to gold. Seldom it comes, to few from heaven sent, That much in little, all in naught--_content_. '

 "What I have written, I have written. 

 "Your own MADGE. 

"That sounds very well, doesn't it, Pussy? I am going to fold it so, andso, then cut off a strand of my hair--see, Pussy, it is nearly a yardlong, and it will go around and around this letter and tie in a greatgolden knot. When the king sees that he will know it is very important. Now I will go to the door and tell the page to run with this to papa, and then--oh, I wonder what he will say!"

She ran to the door, spoke a few words to the page who stood justoutside, then returned to the great cushioned chair by the window. Pussyclimbed into her lap. They both winked a few times and blinked a fewtimes and then fell fast asleep. 

II

Half an hour later the king, with his crown comfortably pushed back onhis head, and a smile very much all over his ruddy face, burst into thequeen's sitting-room. He held a tangle of golden hair in one hand and asheet of blue note-paper in the other. 

"My dear, my dear, what do you think has happened? Here, written by herown hand, the hand of the Princess Madge, are the happy words whichdrive away all our fears. She will marry, my dear, she will marry; andlisten: she cares not what may be his rank or age or condition--he mustbe a _contented_ man, that is all. Oh, what a child, what a child!"

"Oh, Rudolpho, my love, is it true? Why, why, I am so happy! Is itreally true? Do give me my fan. Yes, thank you. Fan me, dear; a littlefaster. It quite took my breath away. Just to think of that! Now go atonce and issue a royal edict summoning every contented man in thiskingdom and in all the surrounding kingdoms to a grand feast here in thepalace. After the feast we will hold a trial, and the Princess Madgeshall be the judge. "

Away rushed the king, the pages in waiting outside the door vainlytrying to catch the end of his fluttering robe. 

The next day a cavalcade of heralds set out from the palace gates, bearing posters which were hung in the market-place of every village forleagues about. In blue letters on a gold ground were these words:

 Ho, ye! Hear, ye! Ho, ye!

 On the twenty-third day of the month now present, every _contented_ man throughout the universe is summoned to the court of King Rudolpho for a feast and a trial for the hand of the Princess Madge. He among you all who is absolutely contented shall have the princess's hand in marriage, together with half the kingdom. Every man will be tried by the princess herself. Every man who falls short and stands not the test shall never again enter King Rudolpho's court. 

 My hand + My seal +. RUDOLPHO, _Rex_. 

The day dawned, brilliant and glorious. How the contented men jostledeach other, and frowned at each other, and scolded each other asthey thronged through the palace gates! They all gathered in thebanquet-hall, where a wonderful feast was spread--a roasted ox, withwild boar and lamb and turkey and peacock, and a hundred kinds offruit, and fifty kinds of ice-water; but as a dinner-party it was not asuccess. Conversation was dull, each man glowered at his neighbor, andall seemed eager to finish the feast and begin the trial. 

Finally it was over, and five hundred and fifty contented men assembledin the royal court-room. The king and queen were seated on theirthrones, but the princess was nowhere to be seen. There was a moment ofbreathless waiting--then suddenly a door at the side of the court-roomopened and the Princess Madge, carrying Pussy Willow, entered and wasfollowed by her train-bearers and maids of honor. She wore a wonderfulgown all white and gold down the front, with the foamiest of sea-foamgreen trains hanging from her shoulders away out behind her. Slowly, majestically, she walked across the room, and stopped before a table onwhich lay a golden gavel. A quick tap of the gavel silenced the littlemurmur that had arisen at her entrance. The king glanced at the queen, and they both smiled with pride in their stately daughter. The princesstapped again and began:

"Princes, baronets, honorables, commons of this kingdom and ourneighboring kingdoms, I bid you welcome. You have come to sue for myhand and my fortune. I know full well, my noble men, that if I askedit you would gladly give me some great proof of your bravery andgoodness--but I ask you to take no risk and make no sacrifice. I merelywish to know whether I can find in any of you that secret of all truecourage and happiness--contentment. Now let every man of you who iscontented, _thoroughly contented_, rise. Remember, there are no degreesin contentment; it is absolute. "

The black-robed throng arose--some eagerly, some impatiently, somedisdainfully, some few slowly and thoughtfully, but they all stood andwaited in utter silence. 

 [Illustration: THE PRINCESS MADGE ENTERS]

"As I put the test question, if there is any one who cannot answer it, let him go quietly out through yonder door and never again show hisdiscontented face in this court. You say you are contented--happy, unselfish, and satisfied with what the gods have given you. Answer methis! Why, then, do you scowl and jostle one another? Why do you want tomarry any one--least of all, a princess with half the riches of a greatkingdom as a dowry, to spoil your happiness? Greedy fortune-hunters! Doyou call that contentment?"

The contented men stood a moment in baffled silence, then turned, oneand all, and slowly marched out of the room. As the door closed upon thelast one of the disappointed suitors, the princess picked up her prettykitten and, turning to her father and mother, said:

"Would you have me marry one of _those_? Why, they aren't half socontented as a common, everyday pussy-cat. Good-by!" And she laughed amerry laugh, threw a kiss at the astonished king and queen, and ran fromthe room. 

III

At luncheon one day many months after the dismissal of the discontentedsuitors, the prime minister entered the dining-room and announced to theking that a man had been found within the palace gates without a royalpermit, and had been immediately put in the dungeon. He was a handsomefellow, the prime minister said, but very poorly clad. He made noresistance when he was taken prisoner, but earnestly requested that histrial might come off as soon as possible, as he rather wanted to make asketch of the palace and gardens, and he couldn't see very well from theslit in the top of the dungeon; but he begged them not to put themselvesnor the king to any inconvenience, as he could just as well remain wherehe was and write poems. 

"In sooth, your Majesty, " said the prime minister, in conclusion, "fromall we have heard and seen, it seemeth that at last we have found acontented man. "

As soon as the king finished his royal repast he disguised himself inthe long cloak and hat of a soldier and went with the prime minister andthe turnkey to catch a glimpse of the prisoner. As they approached thedungeon they heard a rich bass voice singing:

 "Let the world slide, let the world go! A fig for care, and a fig for woe. If I must stay, why, I can't go, And love makes equal the high and low. "

The king drew nearer, stooped, and peeped through the keyhole. Justopposite the door, on a three-legged stool, sat the prisoner. His headwas thrown back and he was looking at the sky through the bars in thetop of his cell. The song had ceased and he was talking softly tohimself. The king, in a whisper, told the prime minister to bring theprincess and have her remain hidden just outside the door. Then hemotioned to the turnkey to throw back the bolts, and he entered thedungeon alone. 

"Why are you talking to yourself, man?" he asked. The man answered:

"Because, soldier, I like to talk to a sensible man, and I like to heara sensible man talk. "

"Ha, ha!" laughed the king. "Pretty good, pret-ty good! They tell methat all things please you. Is it true?"

"I think I can safely say yes, soldier. "

"But why are you so poorly clad?"

"The care of fine clothes is too much of a burden--I have long agorefused to be fashion's slave. "

"But where are your friends?"

"Of those that I have had, the good are dead, and happier so than here;the evil ones have left me and are befriending some one else, for whichI say, 'Joy go with them. '"

"And is there nothing that you want?" As the king asked this question helooked at the man in a peculiarly eager way, nor did the answerdisappoint him. 

"I have all of the necessities of life and many of the luxuries. I amperfectly content. I know I have neither land nor money, but is not thewhole world mine? Can even the king himself take from me my delight inthe green trees and the greener fields, in that dainty little cloudflecking heaven's blue up yonder like a bit of foam on a sunlit sea? Oh, no! I am rich enough, for all nature is mine--"

"And _I_ am yours, " said a sweet young voice. The man looked up insurprise, and there before him, holding out her pretty hands toward him, stood the Princess Madge, who had slipped into the cell unnoticed. 

The man sprang to his feet, clasped the little hands in his, and said:

"I know not what you mean, sweet lady, when you say that you are mine;but oh, you are passing beautiful!"

"Papa, " called the princess, "this is quite dreadful. Quick, take offthat ugly soldier's coat and tell him who we are and all about it!"

The king, starting as if from a dream, threw off the rough coat and hatand stepped forth into the beam of sunlight, resplendent in gold andermine. 

"Thou dost not know me, my man? I am the king. Hast thou not read ourlast proclamation?"

"No, your Majesty; I never do read proclamations. "

 [Illustration: I am Perfectly Content]

"Then thou didst not know that the hand of the princess is offered tothe first contented man who enters the palace?"

"No, your Majesty; I knew it not. "

"Then know it now, and know, too, that thou art the man. To thee I givemy daughter, together with half my kingdom. No, no--not a word. Thoudeservest her. May you be happy!"

The prisoner, almost dumb with astonishment, almost dazed with joy, knelt and kissed the princess's white hands, then looked into her eyesand said:

"Ah, well it is for me that I saw you not until now, for I should havebeen miserably discontented until you were mine!"

THE FLYING SHIP

_A Russian Tale_

Once upon a time there was a Princess who was always wanting somethingnew and strange. She would not look at the princes who came to woo herfrom the kingdoms round about, because, she said, they all came in thesame way, in carriages which had four wheels and were drawn by fourhorses. "Why could not one come in a carriage with five wheels?" sheexclaimed petulantly, one day, "or why come in a carriage at all?" Sheadded: "If one came in a flying ship I would wed him!"

So the King made proclamation that whoever came to the palace in aflying ship should wed the Princess, and succeed to the kingdom. As thePrincess was very beautiful and the kingdom very rich, men everywherebegan to try to build ships that would fly. But that was not so easy. They could build ships that would sail--but flying was quite anotherthing!

On the far edge of the kingdom dwelt a widow with three sons. The twoelder, hearing the proclamation, said that they wanted to go to the cityand build each a flying ship. So the mother, who was very proud of thesesons, and quite convinced that should the Princess see one of them itwould not be necessary for him to have a flying ship, laid out theirbest clothes and gave each a satchel containing a lunch of white breadand jam and fruit, and wished them good luck on their journeys. 

Now the third son was called Simple, because he did not do as hisbrothers did, and cared nothing for fine clothes and fine airs, butliked to wander off in the woods by himself. When Simple saw hisbrothers starting off all so grandly he said: "Give me a lunch, and Iwill go and build a flying ship. "

The truth was that the idea of a flying ship very much appealed toSimple, though he did not give much thought to the Princess. 

But his mother said: "Go back into the woods, Simple, that is the placefor you. "

But Simple persisted, and at last she gave him a satchel containing alunch of black bread without any jam, and a flask of water. 

As Simple neared the woods he met a Manikin who asked him for somethingto eat. Simple was ashamed to open his satchel with the black bread andwater in it. "But, " he reflected, "if one is hungry black bread isbetter than no bread. " The Manikin certainly looked hungry, so Simpleput his hand into the satchel and took out the roll of bread--and lo--itwas not black at all, but white, made of the finest flour, and spreadwith rich, golden butter. The flask, too, when he took it out, was notas it had been when his mother put it in, but was filled with red wine. 

So Simple and the Manikin sat down by the roadside and ate together. Then the Manikin asked Simple where he was going, and Simple told himthat he was going to build a flying ship. He almost forgot about thePrincess, but remembered, as an afterthought, and he told the Manikinthat when the ship was done he would fly in it to the palace and marrythe Princess. 

"Well, " said the Manikin, "if you want to do that take this ax with youand the first tree that you come to strike it three times with the ax, then bow before it three times, and then kneel down with your facehidden until you are told to get up. There will be a flying ship beforeyou. Climb into it and fly to the palace of the Princess, and if youmeet anybody along the way take them along. "

So Simple took the ax and went into the wood, and the first tree that hecame to he struck three times with the ax, then bowed three times beforeit, then knelt down and hid his face. By-and-by he felt someone touchhis shoulder and he looked up, and there was a ship with wingsoutspread, all ready to fly. So he climbed into it and bade it fly awayto the city of the Princess. 

As he flew over a clearing in the woods Simple saw a man with his ear tothe ground, listening. 

"Ho!" he cried, "you below! What are you doing?"

"I am listening to the sounds of the world, " said the man. 

"Well, " said Simple, "come up into the ship. Maybe you can hear more uphere. "

So the man climbed up into the ship, and they flew on. As they passedover a field they saw a man hopping on one leg, with the other strappedup behind his ear. 

"Ho!" cried Simple, "You below! Why do you hop on one leg, with theother bound up?"

"Because, " said the man, "if I were to unbind the other I would step sofar that I would be at the end of the world in a minute. "

"Well, " said Simple, "come up into the ship, that will be less tiresomethan hopping so far. "

So the man came up into the ship and they flew on. As they passed aclear lake of cold water they saw a man standing beside it looking sodisconsolately at the water that Simple called out, "Ho, you below! Whydo you look at the water so sadly?"

"Because, " said the man, "I am very thirsty. "

"Well, " called Simple, "why don't you take a drink? There is waterenough!"

"No, " said the man, "it is not right that I should drink here, for I amso thirsty that I would drink all of this at one gulp, and there wouldbe no lake, and I would still be thirsty. "

"Well, " said Simple, "come up into the ship. Maybe we can find waterenough for you somewhere. "

So the man climbed up into the ship and they flew on. As they passedover a village they met a man carrying a great basket of bread. "Ho!"cried Simple, "you below! Where are you going?"

"I am going to the baker's at the other end of the village to buy somebread for my breakfast, " replied the man. 

"But you have a big basketful of bread now, " said Simple. 

"Oh, " said the man, "that is not enough for the first morsel. I shalleat that up in one bite. There are not bakers enough in this village tokeep me supplied, and I am always hungry. "

"Well, " said Simple, "come up into the ship. Maybe we shall find somebread in the city. "

So the man climbed up into the ship and they flew on. As they passedover a meadow they saw a man carefully carrying a bundle of straw. 

"Ho!" cried Simple, "you below! Why do you carry that straw socarefully, when there is straw all about you in the meadow?"

"But this is no ordinary straw, " said the man. "It has a magic power, and when it is scattered about it will make the hottest place as cold asice. "

"Well, " said Simple, "bring it along and come up into the ship. It maybe hot in the city. "

So the man climbed up into the ship and they flew on. As they passedover a wooded park they saw a man carrying a bundle of sticks. 

"Ho!" cried Simple, "you below! Why do you carry those sticks socarefully when all the woods about you are full of sticks?"

"But these are not ordinary sticks, " said the man. "If I were to throwthem on the ground they would become soldiers, armed and ready for abattle. "

"Well, " said Simple, "they are wonderful sticks indeed! Bring them upinto the ship. There may be a need for soldiers in the city. "

So the man climbed up into the ship and they flew on. Soon they came tothe city, where the word soon went about that a ship was flying over, and men and women came out into the streets and on to the roofs of thehouses to see what it might be like. And the King came out on hisbalcony and saw Simple and his strange crew flying straight toward thepalace. 

"Now, now, " said the King, "what sort of a fellow is this? I cannot havehim marry my daughter. He has not a knight in his train--and as forhim--!" the King had no words in which to express his thought. 

The Princess, too, looking out and seeing the flying ship with Simple inthe bow and the other strange folk behind him, repented of her rashword, and said: "You must give this fellow some impossible task to do, so that he will fail, for it is certain that I cannot wed him. "

So the King sent for his courtiers, and bade them wait upon the man inthe flying ship and say to him that before his daughter could be givenin marriage a flask of water must be brought this day from a spring atthe end of the world. 

The man with the wonderful hearing had his ear to the deck of the ship, and he heard this order, and reported it to Simple, who lamented, andsaid: "How can I bring a flask of water from the end of the world? Itmay take me a year to go there and back--perhaps even the rest of mylife. "

But the man with the bound leg said: "You forget that I am here. Whenthe summons comes I will take the flask and go for the water. "

So when the messenger came Simple answered quietly that the order wouldbe obeyed at once. 

The man with the bound leg unfastened his leg from behind his ear andstarted off to the end of the world, and when he came there he filledthe flask and came back with it, and Simple went with it to the palace, arriving just as the King and the Princess were finishing their dinner. 

"That is all very well, " said the King, "but we cannot have this fellowwed the Princess. We will prepare a feast, and tell him that it must beeaten at once. Let forty oxen be killed, and five hundred loaves beprepared and five hundred cakes be baked, and all of these must thisfellow and his followers eat. "

The man with the wonderful hearing having his ear to the deck of theship reported this conversation to Simple, who lamented and said: "Howcan we eat forty oxen, and five hundred loaves and five hundred cakes!It will take us a year to eat so much, or maybe all of the rest of ourlives. "

"Oh, " said the hungry man, who had long since eaten the few loaves fromhis basket, "you forget that I am here. Perhaps now for the first timein my life I shall have enough to eat. "

So when the feast was served they all sat down to it, and ate as theywished; then the hungry man ate the remainder of the forty oxen and thefive hundred loaves and the five hundred cakes and there was not a crumbleft. When he had quite finished he said that he could have eaten atleast two more oxen and another hundred cakes, but that he was not quiteso hungry as he had been. 

When the King's messengers told him that the feast was all eaten thatsame night he said: "That is all very well, but we cannot have thisfellow wed the Princess. We will prepare a drinking, and serve fivehundred flagons of wine, and tell him that it must all be drunken thatsame night, or he cannot wed the Princess. Let the flagons of wine beprepared and served to him, and all of them must this fellow and hisfollowers drink. "

The man with the wonderful hearing having his ear to the deck of theship reported this to Simple, who lamented and said: "How can we drinkfive hundred flagons of wine? It will take us a year to do so, or maybeall of the rest of our lives. "

But the thirsty man said, "You forget that I am here. Perhaps now forthe first time in my life I shall have enough to drink. "

So when the wine was served they all gathered around the table and drankas much as they wanted of it; then the thirsty man picked up flagonafter flagon and drank them off until all were empty. And at the end hesaid that he could have drunken at least fifty flagons more, but that hewas not so thirsty as he had been. 

When the messengers of the King reported that the wine was all drunken, the King said: "Now are we put to it, for we cannot have this fellow wedthe Princess. " So he sent his messengers to the ship bidding Simple cometo the palace and make ready for the wedding, and prepared a bath forhim. And when Simple entered the room for the bath he found that it washeated so hot that the walls burned his hands when he touched them, andthe floors were like red-hot iron. But the man with the straw had comein behind him, warned by the man with the wonderful hearing, and seeingwhat was afoot, scattered his straw all about the bathroom, and at onceit became as cold as one could wish, and, the door having been locked, Simple climbed up on the stove and went to sleep, and there they foundhim in the morning, wrapped in a blanket. 

When this was reported to the King he was very angry, and he said, "Thisfellow is evidently very smart, but for all of that we cannot have himwed the Princess. I will give him an impossible task. Go you to him, "he said to the messenger, "and tell him that he must come to me atto-morrow's sunrise with an army fitting the rank of one who would wedthe Princess. "

When the man with the wonderful hearing reported this to Simple he wasin despair, and lamented and said: "Now at last am I beaten, though, after all, I have a flying ship, even if I do not wed the Princess. Itwill take me a year to raise an army, perhaps it would take all the restof my life. "

But the man with the sticks said: "You forget that I am here. Now all ofthese others have proven that they could help you to win the Princess, let me at least do my share. "

So at dawn they flew out over the parade ground, and the man with thesticks threw them down upon the ground, and immediately there sprung upsoldiers, in platoons and regiments, with armor, and captains andcolonels and generals to command them. And the King and his courtiershad never seen such an army, and the Princess, standing on the balconybeside her father, as they rode by the palace, seeing Simple riding atthe head of the band, with the generals paying him homage, said: "Thisman must be a very great prince indeed, and, now that I look at him heis not so uncomely, after all. "

And Simple, riding at the head of his army, looking up at the balconyand seeing the Princess there said to himself: "A flying ship is allvery well, but the Princess is very beautiful, and to wed her will bethe most wonderful thing in the world. "

So Simple and the Princess were married, and the crew of the flying shipwere at the wedding, and all of the captains and the colonels and thegenerals of his army, and never had there been such a wedding in thekingdom. And by and by the King died, and Simple became the King, andthe Princess became the Queen, and they lived happily ever after. 

ROBIN OF THE LOVING HEART

BY EMMA ENDICOTT MAREAN

"_Please, Mother, tell us a story. Have him a wood-chopper boy thistime. Please, Mother, quick, for Elizabeth is sleepy already. Oh, Mother, hurry!_"

_So here is the story. _

 * * *

Once upon a time there was a little boy who lived all alone with hisparents in the heart of a deep wood. His father was a wood-chopper whoworked hard in the forest all day, while the mother kept everything tidyat home and took care of Robin. Robin was an obliging, sunny-heartedlittle fellow who chopped the kindling as sturdily as his father choppedthe dead trees and broken branches, and then he brought the water andturned the spit for his mother. 

As there were no other children in the great forest, he made friendswith the animals and learned to understand their talk. In the spring themother robin, for whom he thought he was named, called him to see theblue eggs in her nest, and in the autumn the squirrels chattered withhim and brought him nuts. But his four dearest friends were the Owl, whocame to his window evenings and gave him wise counsel; the Hare, whoplayed hide-and-seek with him around the bushes; the Eagle, who broughthim strange pebbles and shells from the distant seashore; and the Lion, who, for friendship's sake, had quite reformed his habits and hisappetite, so that he lapped milk from Robin's bowl and simply adoredbreakfast foods. 

Suddenly all the happiness in the little cottage was turned to mourning, when the good wood-chopper was taken ill, and the mother was at herwits' end to take care of him and to provide bread and milk. Robin'sheart burned within him to do something to help, but he could not swingan ax with his little hands. 

"Ah, " he said that night to his friend the Owl, "if I were a greatknight, perhaps I could ride to the city and win the Prize for GoodLuck. "

"And what is the Prize for Good Luck?" asked the Owl, who kneweverything in the world except that. 

 [Illustration: "THE OWL CALLED A COUNCIL OF ROBIN'S BEST FRIENDS"]

Then Robin explained that the lovely princess, whose hair was like spungold and whose eyes were like the blue forget-me-nots by the brook, hadlost her precious amulet, given to her by her godmother, which kept her, as long as it lay on her neck, healthy and beautiful and happy. One day, when she was playing in the flower-garden, the little gold chain snappedand the amulet rolled away. Everybody in the palace had searched, thesoldiers had been called out to help, and all the small boys had beenorganized into an amulet brigade, for what they cannot see is usuallynot worth seeing at all. But no one could find it, and in the meantimethe princess grew pale, and, truth to tell, rather cross. Her hairdulled a little, and her eyes looked like forget-me-nots drowned in thebrook. When the court philosopher reasoned the matter out and discoveredthat the amulet had been carried far away, perhaps outside the kingdom, the king offered the Prize for Good Luck for its return. 

"Now, if I could win the Prize for Good Luck, " said Robin, "we shouldhave bread and milk all the time, and Mother need not work so hard. "

Then the Owl in her wisdom called a council of Robin's best friends, andasked them what they were going to do about it. They waited respectfullyfor her advice; and this was her wonderful plan:

"Robin could win the Prize for Good Luck, " declared the Owl, "if only hewere wise and swift and clear-sighted and strong enough. Now I will lendhim my wisdom, the Hare shall lend his swiftness, the Eagle shall lendhis eyesight, and the Lion shall lend his strength. " And thus it wasagreed. 

Then the Owl went back to little Robin's window and explained the plan. 

"You must remember, " she said warningly, "time is precious. It is almostmorning now. I cannot long spare my wisdom, for who would guide thefeathered folk? If the Hare cannot run, how can he escape the fox? Ifthe Eagle cannot see, he will dash himself into the cliff if he flies, and he will starve to death if he sits still. If the Lion's strength isgone, the wolves will be the first to know it. Return, then, withoutdelay. At the stroke of nine o'clock to-morrow night, we shall await youhere. Now go quickly, for rather would I die than live like thefeather-brained blue jay. "

Immediately Robin felt himself so strong and so brave that he hesitatednot a minute. Swift as a hare he hastened to the palace, and at daybreakhe blew the mighty horn that announced the coming of one who would seekfor the amulet. The king groaned when he saw him, sure that it would bea vain quest for such a little fellow. The truth was that the courtphilosopher feared the amulet had been stolen by the Ogre of OgreCastle, but no one dared to mention the fact, much less to ask the Ogreto return it. The princess, however, immediately sat up and took notice, charmed by the brave light in Robin's eyes and his merry smile. 

Robin asked to be taken up into the highest tower of the palace, andthere, looking leagues and leagues away to Ogre Castle, he saw with hisEagle sight the amulet, glowing like sunlight imprisoned in a ruby. 

The Ogre was turning it over and over in his hand, muttering to himself, in the stupid way ogres always have: "It must be a nut, for I can seesomething good inside. " Robin could not hear him, but he was sure, bythe help of the Owl's wisdom, that it was the amulet. 

 [Illustration: "AT DAYBREAK ROBIN BLEW THE MIGHTY HORN"]

In a thrice--that means while you count three--Robin was speeding awaywith the Hare's swiftness toward Ogre Castle, and in a few minutes hewas demanding the amulet from the Ogre. 

Now usually the Ogre was not at all a disagreeable fellow, and the Owl'swisdom would have easily sufficed to enable Robin to secure the amuletwithout trouble, but he had just tried to crack the amulet with histeeth. It broke off the very best tooth he had in his head, and his poorjaws ached so that he was in a very bad temper. He turned fiercely, andfor a few minutes Robin needed all the strength the Lion had given him. 

 [Illustration: "THE PRINCESS WAVED HER LILY HAND TO ROBIN"]

After all, the Ogre was one of the pneumatic-tire, hot-water-bag kind ofgiants, who flat out if you stick a pin into them and lie perfectly limpuntil they are bandaged up and set going once more. That is really asecret, but Robin knew it by the help of the Owl's wisdom, and he wasnot the least little bit afraid. 

So Robin managed to get the amulet away without too much difficulty, andthe Hare's swiftness quickly took him back to the palace. When theprincess, who was watching from the tower window, saw the rosy light ofthe amulet in the distance, pinkness came back to her cheeks, and hereyes shone like stars, and she waved her lily hand to Robin in perfecthappiness. 

Ah, such a merrymaking as they planned for that evening! Robin was toreceive the Prize for Good Luck, so much gold coin that it would takethree carts and six mules to carry it back to the cottage. The kingcounted out money all the afternoon, and the queen put up tarts and jarsof honey for Robin to take to his mother, and the princess gave him herphotograph. 

Now comes the sad part. It had taken so much time to reach the palace, to explain to the king, to ascend the tower and find the amulet, toconquer the Ogre of Ogre Castle, and to return to the palace, that itwas almost night before Robin realized it. When the money had beencounted out and the tarts wrapped in paraffin paper and the pots ofhoney packed in excelsior, it was seven o'clock. 

Now the party was to begin at nine, for the princess had to have herwhite satin frock sent home from the dressmaker, and her hair had to becurled. The Punch and Judy was to come at ten, and the ice-cream was tobe served at eleven, for in palaces people keep terribly late hours, notat all good for them. Just as Robin had dressed himself in a beautifulblue velvet suit, thinking how fine it was that he should open the dancewith the princess and how lucky it was that he had the strength of alion, so that he could dance at all after his busy day, he suddenlyremembered his promise to the Owl. 

It was such a shock that, in spite of the Lion's strength, he nearlyfainted. Then he went quickly to the king and told him that he must goaway at once. The king was very angry and bade him have done with suchnonsense. 

"Faith, you must stay, " he said crossly. "There would be no living withthe princess if her party is spoiled. Besides, you will lose the Prizefor Good Luck, for the people have been promised that they shall see itpresented to somebody to-night and we must not disappoint them. "

 [Illustration: "THE SAUCY BLUE JAY MOCKED THE FLUTTERING OWL"]

Poor Robin's heart was heavy. How could he lose all that he had gainedand go away as poor as when he came? That wasn't all nor half of all. Tolose the money would be bad, but he had much more to lose than that. Forone day he had enjoyed the fun of being stronger and wiser and swifterand keener-sighted than anybody else. Isn't that better than money andall the prizes for good luck? Yes, indeed, his heart answered over andover again. How could he go back and give up the wisdom and theswiftness and the clear sight and the strength, even if he could give upthe money?

"I know now, " he thought bitterly, "how the Owl felt when she said shewould not be a feather-brain like the blue jay. And it is much moreimportant for a boy to be strong than for a common old lion, who ispretty old anyway. And there are lots of hares in the forest and eagleson the mountain. "

Then Robin slowly climbed the stairs to the tower, for he thought hewould see what the Owl and the Hare and the Eagle and the Lion weredoing in the forest. He looked over to the cottage, leagues and leaguesaway. There, under a big oak, lay the Owl, her feathers all a-flutter. She had had no more sense than to go out in the brilliant sunshine, andsomething had gone wrong inside her head. The saucy blue jay stood backand mocked her. Robin's heart gave one little throb of pity, but he waswise enough to see the value of wisdom, and he hardened himself. "Idon't believe she has sense enough to know that anything is wrong, " hesaid to himself. 

Then he looked for the Hare. "Oh, he's all right, " said Robin, gladly. But just then he saw a dark shape, only about a mile away, following theHare's track. 

Robin's heart gave two throbs of pity. "Poor old Hare!" he said. "I havehad lots of fun with him. "

Then he looked for the Eagle, and his heart beat hard and fast when hesaw him sitting alone on the dead branch of a tree, one wing hangingbruised, perhaps broken, and his sightless eyes turned toward the tower, waiting, waiting. Blind!

 [Illustration: "IT FOLLOWED THE HARE'S TRACK"]

Robin looked quickly for the Lion. For a time he could not find him, fortears came in his eyes as he thought of the Eagle. Then he saw the poorcreature, panting from thirst, trying to drag himself to the river. Hewas almost there when his last bit of strength seemed to fail, and helay still, with the water only a few yards away. 

Then Robin's heart leaped and bounded with pity, and with puregladness, too, that he was not yet too late to save his friends from theconsequences of their own generosity. The last rays of sunset struck thetower as Robin, forgetting all about his blue velvet clothes and theprincess and the Prize for Good Luck, ran and raced, uphill and down, through brambles and briers, over bogs and hummocks, leaving bits oflace caught on the bushes, swifter than ever he hastened to the Ogre ofOgre Castle or to the lovely princess with the amulet. 

 [Illustration: "HE SAW THE POOR CREATURE PANTING FROM THIRST"]

 [Illustration: "HE SAW THE BLIND EAGLE SITTING ALONE IN THE TREE"]

He was there--oh, yes, he was there long before nine o'clock. The Owlreceived back her wisdom, and I can tell you that she soon sent thesaucy blue jay packing. The Hare had his swiftness, and the fox was leftso far behind that he was soon glad to limp back home and eat the plainsupper that Mrs. Fox had prepared for him. The poor blind Eagle openedhis eyes, and saw the moon and the stars, and, better than moon andstars, the loving face of his comrade, Robin. The Lion drank his fill, and said that now he would like some breakfast food, please. So thestory ended happily after all. 

Oh, yes, I forgot about the Prize for Good Luck, didn't I? When the kingtold the princess that Robin was foolish enough to give back the wisdomand the swiftness and the clear sight and the strength that had won theprize for him, and that without them he was only a very common littleboy, not good enough for a princess to dance with, she stamped her footand called for the godmother who gave her the amulet in the first place. 

Then the princess's godmother said that the princess for once was quite, quite right--that Robin must have the three cartloads of gold coin drawnby six mules, and the tarts and honey for his mother, and whenever theprincess gave another party she must ask him to open the dance with her, blue velvet suit or no blue velvet suit--"because, " said the godmother, "there is one thing better than wisdom or swiftness or clear sight orstrength, and that is a loving heart. "

 * * *

_But Elizabeth had gone to sleep. _

IN SPRING

 Rippling and gurgling and giggling along, The brooklets are singing their little spring song; Laughing and lively and gay as can be, They are skipping right merrily down to the sea. 

 [Illustration]

A FAMOUS CASE

BY THEODORE C. WILLIAMS

 Two honey-bees half came to blows About the lily and the rose, Which might the sweeter be; And as the elephant passed by, The bees decided to apply To this wise referee. 

 The elephant, with serious thought, Ordered the flowers to be brought, And smelt and smelt away. Then, swallowing both, declared his mind: "No trace of perfume can I find, But both resemble hay. "

 MORAL

 Dispute is wrong. But foolish bees, Who will contend for points like these, Should not suppose good taste in roses Depends on elephantine noses. 

 [Illustration]

OLD-FASHIONED STORIES

THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN

Hundreds of thousands of years ago a prince met a fair maiden as hetraveled through the Enchanted Land. The prince loved the maiden dearly, and she loved him as much as he loved her. 

"Will you marry me?" asked the prince one day. 

"Indeed I will, " said the maiden, "for there is no one in all the worldI love so well. "

Then all was as merry as merry could be. The maiden danced and sang, andthe prince laughed aloud for joy. 

But one day, as they were together, a messenger arrived hot andbreathless. He came from the prince's father, who was King of aneighboring kingdom. 

"His Majesty is dying, " said the messenger, "and he would speak withyou, my lord. "

"Alas, " said the prince to the maiden, "I must leave you, and remainwith my father until his death. Then I shall be king and I will come foryou and you shall be my queen. Till then, good-by. This ring I give youas a keepsake. Once more, farewell. "

The maiden drew the ring on her finger, and, with a sad heart, watchedthe prince ride off. 

The King had but a short time to live when his son arrived at thepalace. "Ah, " said the dying man, "how glad I am that you are come. There is one promise I wish you to make ere I die. Then I shall close myeyes in peace. "

"Surely, dear father, I will promise what you ask. There is nothing Iwould not do to let you rest at ease. "

Then said the dying King, "Promise that you will marry the bride whom Ihave chosen for you, " and he named a princess well known to the prince. 

Without thinking of anything but to ease his father's mind, the princesaid, "I promise. " The King smiled gladly as he heard the words, andclosed his eyes in peace. 

The prince was now proclaimed King, and the time soon came when he mustgo to the bride his father had chosen for him, and ask, "Will you marryme?" This he did, and the princess answered, "Indeed I will. "

Now the maiden who had first promised to marry the prince heard of this, and it nearly broke her heart. Each day she grew paler and thinner, until her father at last said: "Wherefore, my child, do you look so sad?Ask what you will, and I shall do my utmost to give it you. "

For a moment his daughter thought. Then she said: "Dear father, find forme eleven maidens exactly like myself. Let them be fair, and tall, andslim, with curly golden hair. "

"I shall do my best, " said her father; and he had a search made far andwide throughout the Enchanted Land until the eleven maidens were found. Each was fair, and tall, and slim, and there was not one whose goldenhair did not curl. 

The maiden was pleased indeed, and she next ordered twelve huntsmen'sdresses to be made of green cloth, trimmed with beaver fur; also twelvegreen caps each with a pheasant's feather. Then to each of the maidensshe gave a dress and hat, commanding her to wear them, while the twelfthshe wore herself. 

The twelve huntsmen then set out on horseback to the court of the King, who, when a prince, had promised to marry their leader. 

So well was the maiden disguised by the hunting-dress, that the King didnot recognize her. She asked if he were in need of huntsmen, and if hewould take her and her companions into his service. 

Never had a finer troop been seen, and the King said he would gladlyengage them. So they entered his service, and lived at the palace, andwere treated with all kindness and respect. 

Now among the King's favorites at court was a lion. To possess this lionwas as good as to have a magician, for he knew all secret things. 

One evening the lion said to the King: "You imagine you engaged twelveyoung huntsmen not long ago, do you not?"

"I did, " said the King. 

"Pray excuse me, if I contradict you, " said the lion, "but I assure you, you are mistaken. They were not huntsmen whom you engaged, but twelvemaidens. "

"Nonsense, " said the King, "absurd, ridiculous!"

"Again I would crave forgiveness if I offend, " said the lion, "but thosewhom you believe to be huntsmen are, in truth, twelve fair maidens. "

"Prove what you say, if you would have me believe it, " said the King. 

"To-morrow, then, summon the twelve to the royal chamber. On the floorlet peas be scattered. Then, as the huntsmen advance toward you, youwill see them trip and slide as maidens. If they are men they will walkwith a firm tread. "

"Most wise Lion!" said the King, and he ordered it to be done as theroyal beast had said. 

But in the palace was a servant who already loved the fair younghuntsmen, and when he heard of the trap that was to be laid, he wentstraight to them and said, "The lion is going to prove to the King thatyou are maidens. " Then he told them how he would seek to do this, andsaid, "Do your best to walk with a firm tread. "

Next morning the King ordered the twelve huntsmen to be called, and asthey walked across the royal chamber, it was with so firm a tread thatnot a single pea moved. 

After they had left, the King turned to the lion and said, "You havespoken falsely. They walked as other men. "

But the lion said: "They must have been warned, or they would havetripped and slidden as maidens. I will yet prove to you that I speak thetruth. To-morrow, summon the twelve to the royal chamber. Let twelvespinning-wheels be placed there. Then, as the huntsmen advance towardyou, you will see each cast longing looks at the spinning-wheels, which, if they were men, you must grant they would not do. "

The King was pleased that the huntsmen should again be put to the test, for the lion was a wise beast and had never before been proved wrong. 

But again the kind servant warned the disguised maidens, and theyresolved not even to glance in the direction of the spinning-wheels. 

Next morning the King ordered the twelve huntsmen to be called, and asthey walked across the royal chamber there was not one of them butlooked straight into the eyes of the King. It seemed as though they hadnot known that the spinning-wheels were there. 

After they had gone the King turned to the lion, and again he said, "Youhave spoken falsely. " Then he told the royal beast that the twelvehuntsmen had not even glanced in the direction of the spinning-wheels. 

"They must have been warned, " repeated the lion, but the King believedhim no longer. 

So the huntsmen stayed with the King and went out a-hunting with him, and the more he saw of them the more he liked them. 

One day, while they were in the forest, news was brought that theprincess whom the King was to marry was on her way to meet thehunting-party. 

When the true bride heard it, she grew white as a lily, and, staggering, fell backward. Fortunately, the trunk of a tree supported her until theKing, wondering what had happened to his dear huntsman, ran to the spotand pulled off her glove. 

Looking at the white hand, what was his surprise to see upon the middlefinger the ring he had given to the maiden he loved. Then he looked intoher face and recognized her, and in a flash he understood that she hadcome to court as a huntsman, only to be near him. The King was sotouched that he kissed her white cheeks till they grew rosy, and herblue eyes opened in wonder. "You shall be my queen, " he said, "and nonein all the wide world shall separate us. "

Then he sent a messenger to the princess who was coming to meet him, saying he was sorry he must ask her to return home, as the maiden thathe loved and was going to marry was with him in the forest. 

And the next day the bells pealed loud and far, and at the royal weddingthe lion was an honored guest, because it had at last been proved thathe spoke the truth. 

THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES

Once upon a time there was a King who had twelve daughters, each morebeautiful than the other. The twelve princesses slept in a large hall, each in a little bed of her own. After they were snugly settled for thenight, their father, the King, used to bolt the door on the outside. Hethen felt sure that his daughters would be safe until he withdrew thebolt next morning. 

But one day when the King unbolted the hall door, and peeped in asusual, he saw twelve worn-out pairs of little slippers lying about thefloor. 

"What! shoes wanted again, " he exclaimed, and after breakfast amessenger was sent to order a new pair for each of the princesses. 

But the next morning the new shoes were worn out, how no one knew. 

This went on and on until the King made up his mind to put an end to themystery. The shoes, he felt sure, were danced to pieces, and he sent aherald to offer a reward to any one who should discover where theprincesses held their night-frolic. 

"He who succeeds, shall choose one of my daughters to be his wife, " saidthe King, "and he shall reign after my death; but he who fails, afterthree nights' trial, shall be put to death. "

Soon a prince arrived at the palace, and said he was willing to risk hislife in the attempt to win one of the beautiful princesses. 

When night came, he was given a bedroom next the hall in which the royalsisters slept. His door was left ajar and his bed placed so that from ithe could watch the door of the hall. The escape of the princesses hewould also watch, and he would follow them in their flight, discovertheir secret haunt, and marry the fairest. 

This is what the prince meant to do, but before long he was fast asleep. And while he slept, the princesses danced and danced, for, in themorning, the soles of their slippers were once more riddled with holes. 

The next night the prince made up his mind that stay awake he would, butagain he must have fallen fast asleep, for in the morning twelve pairsof little worn-out slippers lay scattered about the floor of the hall. 

The third night, in fear and trembling, the prince began his nightwatch. But try as he might, he could not keep his eyes open, and when inthe morning the little slippers were as usual found riddled with holes, the King had no mercy on the prince who could not keep awake, and hishead was at once cut off. 

After his death, many princes came from far and near, each willing torisk everything in the attempt to win the fairest of these fairprincesses. But each failed, and each in his turn was beheaded. 

Now a poor soldier, who had been wounded in the wars, was on his wayhome to the town where the twelve princesses lived. One morning he metan old witch. 

"You can no longer serve your country, " she said. "What will you do?"

"With your help, good mother, I mean to rule it, " replied the soldier;for he had heard of the mystery at the palace, and of the reward theKing offered to him who should solve it. 

"That need not be difficult, " said the witch. "Listen to me. Gostraightway to the palace. There you will be led before the throne. Tellthe King that you would win the fairest of his fair daughters for yourwife. His Majesty will welcome you gladly, and when night falls, youwill be shown to a little bedroom. From the time you enter it, rememberthese three things. Firstly, refuse to drink the wine which will beoffered you; secondly, pretend to fall fast asleep; thirdly, wear thiswhen you wish to be invisible. " So saying, the old dame gave him a cloakand disappeared. 

Straightway, the soldier went to the palace, and was led before thethrone. "I would win the fairest of your fair daughters for my wife, "said he, bowing low before the King. 

So anxious was his Majesty to discover the secret haunt of hisdaughters, that he gladly welcomed the poor soldier, and ordered that heshould be dressed in scarlet and gold. 

When bedtime came, the soldier was shown his little room, from which hecould see the door of the sleeping-hall. No sooner had he been leftalone than in glided a fair princess bearing in her hand a silvergoblet. 

"I bring you sweet wine. Drink, " she said. The soldier took the cup andpretended to swallow, but he really let the wine trickle down into asponge which he had fastened beneath his chin. 

The princess then left him, and he went to bed and pretended to fallasleep. So well did he pretend, that before long his snores were heardby the princesses in their sleeping-hall. 

"Listen, " said the eldest, and they all sat up in bed and laughed andlaughed till the room shook. 

"If ever we were safe, we are safe to-night, " they thought, as theysprang from their little white beds, and ran to and fro, openingcupboards, boxes, and cases, and taking from them dainty dresses, andribbons, and laces and jewels. 

Gaily they decked themselves before the mirror, bubbling over withmischief and merriment at the thought that once more they should enjoytheir night-frolic. Only the youngest sister was quiet. 

"I don't know why, " she said, "but I feel so strange--as if somethingwere going to happen. "

"You are a little goose, " answered the eldest, "you are always afraid. Why! I need not have put a sleeping powder in the soldier's wine. Hewould have slept without it. Now, are you all ready?"

The twelve princesses then stood on tiptoe at the hall door, and peeredinto the little room where the soldier lay, seemingly sound asleep. Yes, they were quite safe once more. 

Back they went into the hall. The eldest princess tapped upon her bed. Immediately it sank into the earth, and, through the opening it hadmade, the princesses went down one by one. 

The soldier who, peeping, had seen twelve little heads peer out of thehall door, at once threw his invisible cloak around him, and followedthe princesses into the hall, unseen. He was just in time to reach theyoungest, as she disappeared through the opening in the floor. Halfwaydown he trod upon her frock. 

"Oh, what was that?" screamed the little princess, terrified. "Some oneis tramping on my dress. "

"Nonsense, be quiet, " said the eldest, "it must have caught on a hook. "Then they all went down, down, until they reached a beautiful avenue ofsilver trees. 

Thought the soldier, "I must take away a remembrance of the place toshow the King, " and he broke off a twig. 

"Oh, did you hear that crackling sound?" cried the youngest princess. "Itold you something was going to happen. "

"Baby!" replied the eldest. "The sound was a salute. "

Next they came to an avenue where the trees were golden. Here thesoldier again broke off a twig, and again was heard the crackling sound. 

"A salute, I told you, " said the eldest princess to her terrified littlesister. 

Further on they reached an avenue of trees that glittered with diamonds. When the soldier once more broke off a twig, the youngest princessscreamed with fright, but her sisters only went on faster and faster, and she had to follow in fear and trembling. 

At last they came to a great lake. Close to the shore lay twelve littleboats, and in each boat stood a handsome prince, one hand upon an oar, the other outstretched to welcome a princess. 

Soon the little boats rowed off, a prince and a princess in each, thesoldier, still wearing his invisible cloak, sitting by the youngestsister. 

"I wonder, " said the prince who rowed her, "why the boat is so heavyto-day. I have to pull with all my strength, and yet can hardly getalong. "

"I am sure I do not know, " answered the princess. "I dare say it is thehot weather. "

On the opposite shore of the lake stood a castle. Its bright lightsbeckoned to the twelve little boats that rowed toward it. Drums beat, and trumpets sounded a welcome. Very merrily did the sisters reach thelittle pier. They sprang from the boats, and ran up the castle steps andinto the gay ballroom. And there they danced and danced, but never sawor guessed that the soldier with the invisible cloak danced among them. When a princess lifted a wine-cup to her lips and found it empty, shefelt frightened, but she little thought that the unseen soldier haddrained it. On and on they danced, until three o'clock, but then thesisters had to stop, for all their little slippers were riddled withholes. And in the early gray morning the princes rowed them back acrossthe lake, while the soldier seated himself this time beside the eldestprincess. 

When they reached the bank, the sisters wandered up the sloping shore, while the princes called after them, "Good-by, fair daughters of theKing, to-night once more shall we await you here. "

And all the princesses turned, and, waving their white hands, criedsleepily, "Farewell, farewell. "

Little did the sisters dream as they loitered homeward, that the soldierran past them, reached the castle, and climbed the staircase that led tohis little bedroom. When, slowly and wearily, they reached the door ofthe hall where they slept, they heard loud snores coming from his room. "Ah, safe once more!" they exclaimed, and they undid their silk gowns, and their ribbons and jewels, and kicked off their little worn-outshoes. Then each went to her white bed, and in less than a minute wassound asleep. 

The next morning the soldier told nothing of his wonderful adventure, for he thought he would like again to follow the princesses in theirwanderings. And this he did a second and a third time, and each nightthe twelve sisters danced until their slippers were riddled with holes. The third night the soldier carried off a goblet, as a sign that he hadvisited the castle across the lake. 

When next day he was brought before the King, to tell where the twelvedancing princesses held their night-frolic, the soldier took with himthe twig with its silver leaves, the twig with its leaves of gold, andthe twig whose leaves were of diamonds. He took, too, the goblet. 

"If you would live, young man, " said the King, "answer me this: Howcomes it that my daughters' slippers, morning after morning are dancedinto holes? Tell me, where have the princesses spent the three lastnights?"

"With twelve princes in an underground castle, " was the unexpectedreply. 

And when the soldier told his story, and held up the three twigs and thegoblet to prove the truth of what he said, the King sent for hisdaughters. 

In the twelve sisters tripped, with no pity in their hearts for "the oldsnorer, " as they called the soldier; but when their eyes fell upon thetwigs and the goblet they all turned white as lilies, for they knew thattheir secret night-frolics were now at an end for ever. 

"Tell your tale, " said the King to the soldier. But before he couldspeak, the princesses wrung their hands, crying, "Alack! alack!" andtheir father knew that at last he had discovered their secret. 

Then turning to the soldier, the King said: "You have indeed won yourprize. Which of my daughters do you choose as your wife?"

"I am no longer young, " replied the soldier. "Let me marry the eldestprincess. "

So that very day the wedding bells pealed loud and far, and a few yearslater the old soldier and his bride were proclaimed King and Queen. 

EDWY AND THE ECHO

It was in the time of good Queen Anne, when none of the trees in thegreat forest of Norwood, near London, had begun to be cut down, that avery rich gentleman and lady lived in that neighborhood. Their name wasLawley, and they had a fine old house and large garden with a wall allround it. The woods were so close to this garden that some of the hightrees spread their branches over the top of the wall. 

Now this lady and gentleman were very proud and very grand. Theydespised all people poorer than themselves, and there were none whomthey despised more than the gypsies, who lived in the forest round aboutthem. 

There was no place in all England then so full of gypsies as the forestof Norwood. 

Mr. And Mrs. Lawley had been married many years without having children. At length they had a son, whom they called Edwy. They could not makeenough of their only child or dress him too finely. 

When he was just old enough to run about without help, he used to wearhis trousers inlaid with the finest lace, with golden studs and lacedrobings. He had a plume of feathers in his cap, which was of velvet, with a button of gold to fasten it up in front under the feathers. Helooked so fine that whoever saw him with the servants who attended himused to say, "Whose child is that?"

He was a pretty boy, too, and when his first sorrow came he was stilltoo young to have learned any proud ways. 

No one is so rich as to be above the reach of trouble, and when at lastit came to Mr. And Mrs. Lawley it was all the more terrible. 

One day the proud parents had been away some hours visiting a friend afew miles distant. On their return Edwy was nowhere to be found. Hiswaiting-maid was gone, and had taken away his finest clothes. At least, these also were missing. 

The poor father and mother were almost beside themselves with grief. Allthe gentlemen and magistrates round about helped in the search and triedto discover who had stolen him. But it was all in vain. Of course thegypsies were suspected and well examined, but nothing could be made ofit. 

Nor was it ever found out how the child had been carried off. Butcarried off he had been by the gypsies, and taken away to a countryamong hills between Worcester and Hereford. 

In that country was a valley with a river running deep at the bottom. There were many trees and bushes, rocks and caves and holes there. Indeed, it was the best possible place for the haunt of wild people. 

To this place the gypsies carried the little boy, and there they kepthim all the following winter, warm in a hut with some of their ownchildren. 

They stripped him of his velvet and feathers and lace and golden claspsand studs, and clothed him in rags and daubed his fair skin with mud. But they fed him well, and after a little while he was quite happy andcontented. 

Perhaps the cunning gypsies hoped that during the long months of winterthe child would quite forget the few words he had learned to speakdistinctly in his father's house. They thought he would forget to callhimself Edwy, or to cry, "Oh, mamma, mamma, papa, papa! come to littleEdwy!" as he so often did. They taught him that his name was not Edwy, but Jack, or Tom, or some such name. And they made him say "mam" and"dad" and call himself the gypsy boy, born in a barn. 

But after he had learned all these words, whenever anything hurt orfrightened him, he would cry again, "Mamma, papa, come to Edwy!"

The gypsies could not take him out with them while there was a danger ofhis crying like that. So he never went with them on their rounds ofbegging and buying rags and telling fortunes. Instead, he was left inthe hut, in the valley, with some big girl or old woman to look afterhim. 

It happened one day, in the month of May, that Edwy was left as usual inthe hut. He had been up before sunrise to breakfast with those who weregoing out for their day's begging and stealing. After they had left, hehad fallen asleep on a bed of dry leaves. Only one old woman, who wastoo lame to tramp, was left with him. 

He slept long, and when he awoke he sat up on his bed of leaves andlooked about him to see who was with him. He saw no one within the hut, and no one at the doorway. 

Little children do not like to be quite alone. Edwy listened to hear ifthere were any voices outside, but he heard nothing but the rush of awaterfall close by, and the distant cry of sheep and lambs. The nextthing the little one did was to get up and go out at the door of thehut. 

The hut was built of rude rafters in the front of a cave or hole in therock. It was low down in the glen, at the edge of the brook, a littlebelow the waterfall. When the child came out he looked anxiously forsomebody, and was more and more frightened when he could find no one atall. 

The old woman must have been close at hand although out of sight, butshe was deaf, and did not hear the noise made by the child when he cameout of the hut. 

Edwy did not remember how long he stood by the brook, but this iscertain, that the longer he felt himself to be alone the more frightenedhe became. Then he began to fancy terrible things. At the top of therock from which the waters fell there was a huge old yew-tree, or ratherbush, which hung forward over the fall. It looked very black incomparison with the tender green of the other trees, and the white, glittering spray of the water. 

Edwy looked at it and fancied that it moved. His eye was deceived by thedancing motion of the water. While he looked and looked, some greatblack bird came out from the midst of it, uttering a harsh, croakingsound. 

The little boy could bear no more. He turned away from the terrible bushand the terrible bird, and ran down the valley, leaving hut and allbehind. And, as he ran, he cried, as he always did when hurt orfrightened, "Papa, mamma! oh, come! oh, come to Edwy!"

He ran and ran while his little bare feet were bruised with pebbles, andhis legs torn with briers. Very soon he came to where the valley becamenarrower and the rocks and banks higher on either side. The brook ranalong between, and a path went in a line with the brook; but this pathwas only used by the gypsies and a few poor cottagers, and was but alonely road. 

As Edwy ran he still cried, "Mamma, mamma, papa, papa! oh, come! oh, come to Edwy!" And he kept up this cry from time to time, till his youngvoice began to be returned in a sort of hollow murmur. 

When first he noticed this, he was even more frightened than before. Hestood and looked round. Then he turned with his back toward the hut andran and ran again until he got deeper in among the rocks. Then hestopped again, for the high black banks frightened him still more, andsetting up his young voice he called again as he had done before. 

He had scarcely finished his cry, when a voice seemed to answer him. Itsaid, "Come, come to Edwy!" It said it once, it said it twice, it saidit a third time. But it seemed each time more distant. 

The child looked up and down, and all around, and in his terror he criedmore loudly, "Oh, papa, mamma! come, come to poor Edwy!"

It was an echo, the echo of the rocks which repeated the words of thechild. The more loudly he spoke, the more perfect was the echo. But hecould only catch the last few words, and this time he only heard, "Poor, poor Edwy!"

Edwy still dimly remembered a far-away happy home, and kind parents, and now he believed that what the echo said came from them. They werecalling to him, and saying, "Poor, poor Edwy!" But where could they be?Were they in the caves, or at the top of the rocks, or in the bluebright heavens?

He looked at the rocks and the sky, and down among the reeds and sedgesand alders by the side of the brook, but he could find no one. 

After a while he called again, and called louder still. 

"Come, come, " was the cry again, "Edwy is lost! lost! lost!"

Echo repeated the last words as before, "Lost! lost! lost!" and now thevoice sounded from behind him, for he had moved round a corner of arock. 

The child heard the voice behind, and turned and ran that way. Then hestopped and heard it again in the opposite direction. Next he shriekedfrom fear, and echo returned the shriek, finishing up with broken soundswhich to Edwy's ears seemed as if some one a long way off was mockinghim. His terror was now at its highest, and he did not know what to do, or where to go. Turning round, he began once more to run down thevalley, and every step took him nearer the mouth of the glen and theentrance to the great highroad. 

And who had been driving along that road, in a fine carriage with fourhorses, but Edwy's own papa and mamma!

Mr. And Mrs. Lawley had given up all hopes of finding their little boynear Norwood, and they had set out in their coach to go all over thecountry in search of him. They had come the day before to a town near tothe place where the gypsies had kept Edwy all the winter. There they hadmade many inquiries, and asked about the gypsies who were to be found inthat country. But people were afraid of the gypsies, and did not like tosay anything which might bring trouble upon themselves. 

The poor father and mother, therefore, could get no news there, and thenext morning they came across the country, and along the road into whichthe gypsies' valley opened. 

Wherever these unhappy parents saw a wild country full of woods, theythought, if possible, more than ever of their lost child, and Mrs. Lawley would begin to weep. Indeed, she had done little else since shelost her boy. 

The travelers first caught sight of the gypsies' valley as the coacharrived at the top of a high hill. The descent on the other side was sosteep that it was thought right to put a drag on the wheels. 

Mr. Lawley suggested that they should get out and walk down the hill, sothe coach stopped and every one got down from it. Mr. Lawley walkedfirst, followed closely by his servant William, and Mrs. Lawley cameafter, leaning on the arm of her favorite little maid Barbara. 

"Oh, Barbara!" said Mrs. Lawley, when the others were gone forward, "when I remember all the pretty ways of my boy, and think of his lovelyface and gentle temper, and of the way in which I lost him, my heart isready to break. "

"Oh, dear mistress, " answered the little maid, "who knows but that ourgrief may soon be at an end and we may find him yet and all will bewell. "

Mr. Lawley walked on before with the servant. He too was thinking of hisboy as he looked up the wild lonely valley. He saw a raven rise from thewood and heard its croaking noise--it was perhaps the same black birdthat had frightened Edwy. 

William remarked to his master that there was a sound of falling waterand that there must be brooks running into the valley. Mr. Lawley, however, was too sad to talk to his servant. He could only say, "I don'tdoubt it, " and then they both walked on in silence. 

They came to the bottom of the valley even before the carriage gotthere. They found that the brook crossed the road in that place, andthat the road was carried over it by a little stone bridge. 

Mr. Lawley stopped upon the bridge. He leaned on the low wall, andlooked upon the dark mouth of the glen, William stood a little behindhim. 

William was young, and his sense of hearing was very quick. As he stoodthere he thought he heard a voice, but the rattling of the coach-wheelsover the stony road prevented his hearing it distinctly. He heard thecry again, but the coach was coming nearer, and made it still moredifficult for him to catch the sound. 

His master was surprised the next moment to see him jump over the lowparapet of the bridge and run up the narrow path which led to the glen. 

It was the voice of Edwy and the answering echo which William had heard. He had got just far enough away from the sound of the coach-wheels atthe moment when the echo returned poor little Edwy's wildest shriek. 

The sound was fearful and unnatural, but William was not easily put out. He looked back to his master, and his look made Mr. Lawley at once leavethe bridge and follow him, though hardly knowing why. 

They both went up the glen, the man being some way in front of hismaster. Another cry and another answering echo again reached the ear ofWilliam. The young man once more looked round at his master and ran on. The last cry had been heard by Mr. Lawley, who followed as quickly as hecould. But, as the valley turned and turned among the rocks, he soonlost sight of his servant. 

Very soon Mr. Lawley came to the very place where the echo had mostastonished Edwy, because the sound had seemed to come from oppositesides. Here he heard the cry again, and heard it distinctly. It was thevoice of a child crying, "No! no! no! papa! mamma! Oh, come! oh, come!"and then a fearful shriek or laugh of some wild woman's voice. 

Mr. Lawley rushed on, winding in and out between the rocks. Differentvoices, all repeated in strange confusion by the echoes, rang in hisears. But amid all these sounds he thought only of that one sad cry, "Papa! mamma! Oh, come! oh, come!"

Suddenly he came out to where he saw his servant again, and with him anold woman who looked like a witch. She held the hand of a little raggedchild very firmly, though the baby struggled hard to get free, crying, "Papa! mamma! Oh, come! oh, come!"

William was talking earnestly to the woman, and had got hold of theother hand of the child. 

Mr. Lawley rushed on, trembling with hope and fear. Could this boy behis Edwy? William had entered his service since he had lost his childand could not therefore know the boy. He himself could not be sure--sostrange, so altered did the baby look. 

But Edwy knew his own papa in a moment. He could not run to meet him, for he was tightly held by the gypsy, but he cried, "Oh, papa! papa iscome to Edwy!"

The old woman knew Mr. Lawley, and saw that the child knew him. She hadbeen trying to persuade William that the boy was her grandchild. But itwas no use now. She let the child's hand go, and, while he was flying tohis father's arms, she disappeared into some well-known hole or hollowin the neighboring rocks. 

Who can describe the feelings of the father when he felt the arms of hislong-lost boy clinging round his neck, and the little heart beatingagainst his own? Or who could say what the mother felt when she saw herhusband come out from the mouth of the valley, bearing in his arms thelittle ragged child? Could this be her own baby, her Edwy? She couldhardly be sure of her happiness till the boy held out his arms to herand cried, "Mamma! mamma!"

Before they got into the coach the happy parents knelt down upon thegrass to thank God for his goodness. There was no pride now in theirhearts and they never forgot the lesson they had learned. 

In their beautiful home at Norwood they were soon as much loved andrespected as they had been feared and disliked. Even the gypsies in timebecame their faithful friends, and Edwy was as safe in the forest as inhis own garden at home. 

THE LITTLE OLD WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A VINEGAR-BOTTLE

There was once upon a time a little old woman who lived in avinegar-bottle. One day, as she was sweeping out her house, she found asilver coin, and she thought she should like to buy a fish. 

So off she went to the place where the fishermen were casting theirnets. When she got there the nets had just been drawn up, and there wasonly one little fish in them. So the fishermen let her have that for hersilver piece. 

But, as she was carrying it home, the little fish opened its mouth andsaid: "Pray, good woman, throw me into the water again. I am but a verylittle fish, and I shall make you a very poor supper. Pray, good woman, throw me into the water again!"

So the little old woman had pity on the little fish, and threw it intothe water. 

But hardly had she done so before the water began to bubble and a littlefairy stood beside her. "My good woman, " she said, "I am the little fishyou threw into the water, and, as you were so kind to me when I was introuble, I promise to give you anything that you wish for. "

Then the little old woman thanked the fairy very much, but said she didnot want for anything. She lived in a nice little vinegar-bottle with aladder to go up and down, and had all she wished for. 

"Well, " said the fairy, "if at any time you want anything, you have onlyto come to the waterside and call 'Fairy, fairy, ' and I shall appear, toanswer you. "

So the little old woman went home, and she lay awake all night trying tothink of something she wanted. And the next morning she went to thewaterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbled, and thelittle fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You were so kind, ma'am, as topromise that you would give me anything I wished for, because I threwyou into the water when you were but a little fish. Now, if you please, ma'am, I should like a little cottage. For you must know I live in avinegar-bottle, and I find it very tiresome to have to go up and down aladder every time I go in and out of my house. "

"Go home and you shall have one, " said the fairy. 

So the little old woman went home, and there she found a nicewhitewashed cottage, with roses climbing round the windows. 

She was very happy, and thought she would never want anything more; butafter a while she grew discontented again. 

So back she went to the waterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and thewater bubbled, and the little fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house, and now, if you please, ma'am, I would like some newfurniture. For the furniture I had in the vinegar-bottle looks veryshabby now that it is in the pretty little cottage. "

"Go home and you shall have some, " said the fairy. 

So the little old woman went home, and there she found her cottagefilled with nice new furniture, a stool and table, a neat littlefour-post bed with blue-and-white checked curtains, and an armchaircovered with flowered chintz. 

She was very happy, and thought she would never want anything more; butafter a while she grew discontented again. 

So back she went to the waterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and thewater bubbled, and the little fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house and furniture, and now, if you please, ma'am, I wouldlike some new clothes. For I find that the clothes I wore in thevinegar-bottle are not nearly good enough for the mistress of such apretty little cottage. "

Then the fairy said, "Go home and you shall have some. "

So the little old woman went home, and there she found all her oldclothes changed to new ones. There was a silk dress and a floweredapron, and a grand lace cap and high-heeled shoes. 

Well, she was very happy, and she thought she should never want anythingmore; but after a while she grew discontented again. 

So back she went to the waterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and thewater bubbled, and the little fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house and furniture and clothes; and now, if you please, Ishould like a maid. For I find when I have to do the work of the housethat my new clothes get very dirty. "

Then the fairy said, "Go home and you shall have one. "

So the little old woman went home, and there she found at the door aneat little maid with a broom in her hand, all ready to sweep the floor. 

This made her very happy, and she thought she would never want anythingmore; but after a while she grew discontented again. 

So back she went to the waterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and thewater bubbled, and the little fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house and furniture, and clothes, and a maid; and now, ifyou please, I should like a pony. For when I go out walking my newclothes get very much splashed with the mud. "

Then the fairy said, "Go home and you shall have one. "

So the little old woman went home, and there she saw at the door alittle pony all ready bridled and saddled for her to ride. 

She was very happy, and thought she would never want anything more; butafter a while she grew discontented again. 

So back she went to the waterside and called "Fairy, fairy"; and thewater bubbled, and the little fairy stood beside her. 

"What do you want, my good woman?" she said. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house and furniture, and clothes, and a maid, and a pony;and now, if you please, ma'am, I should like a covered cart. For I findthat my new clothes get quite as muddy riding as walking. "

Then the fairy said, "Go home and you will find one. "

So the little old woman went home, and there she found her ponyharnessed into a nice little covered cart. 

She had hardly seen the cart, when back she ran to the waterside, calling "Fairy, fairy"; and the water bubbled, and the little fairystood beside her. 

"What _do_ you want, good woman?" said she. 

And the little old woman answered: "You have been very kind, ma'am, ingiving me a house and furniture, and clothes, and a maid, and a pony anda cart; but now, if you please, ma'am, I should like a coach and six. For it is like all the farmers' wives to ride about in a cart. "

Then the fairy said: "Oh, you discontented little old woman! The more Igive you, the more you want. Go back to your vinegar-bottle. "

So the little old woman went home, and she found everything gone--hercart, and her pony, and her maid, and her clothes, and her furniture, and her house. Nothing remained but the little old vinegar-bottle, withthe ladder to get up the side. 

THE SNOW QUEEN

Once upon a time there was a little boy called Kay. And there was alittle girl. Her name was Gerda. 

They were not brother and sister, this little boy and girl, but theylived in tiny attics next door to one another. 

When they were not playing together, Gerda spent her time peeping atKay, through one of the little panes in her window. And Kay peeped backat Gerda. 

Outside each attic was a tiny balcony, just big enough to hold twolittle stools and a window-box. Often Gerda would step out of her atticwindow into the balcony, carrying with her a three-legged wooden stool. Then she would climb over the low wall that separated her from Kay. 

And there in Kay's balcony the two children would sit and play together, or tell fairy tales, or tend the flowers that bloomed so gaily in thewindow-box. 

At other times it was Kay who would bound over the low wall into Gerda'sbalcony, and there, too, the little boy and girl were as happy as thoughthey had been in Fairyland. 

In each little window-box grew a rose-bush, and the bloom and the scentof the red roses they bore gave Kay and Gerda more delight than you canimagine; and all her life long a red rose remained little Gerda'sfavorite flower. 

But it was not always summer-time, and when cold, frosty winter came, and the Snow Queen sailed down on the large white snowflakes from a graysky, then no flowers bloomed in the window-boxes. And the balcony was soslippery that the children dared not venture to step out of their atticwindows, but had to run down one long flight of stairs and up another tobe able to play together. 

Sometimes, though, Kay stayed in his own little room and Gerda stayedin hers, gazing and gazing at the lovely pictures of castles, andmountains, and sea, and flowers that the Snow Queen had drawn on thewindow-panes as she passed. 

But now that the little panes of glass were covered with pictures, howcould Kay and Gerda peep at each other from the attic windows?

Ah, they had a plan, and a very good plan, too. Kay would heat a pennyon the stove, and then press it against the window-pane, and so makelittle round peep-holes. Then he would put his eye to one of theselittle rounds and--what did he see? A bright black eye peeping fromGerda's attic, for she, too, had heated a penny and made peep-holes inher window. 

It was in winter, too, when the children could not play together on thebalcony, that Gerda's grandmother told them stories of the Snow Queen. 

One night, as Kay was undressing to go to bed, he climbed on a chair andpeeped out of one of his little round holes, and there, on the edge ofthe window-box, were a few big snowflakes. And as the little boy watchedthem, the biggest grew bigger and bigger, until it grew into a whitelady of glittering, dazzling ice. Her eyes shone like two bright stars. 

"It must be the Snow Queen, " thought Kay, and at that moment the whitelady nodded to him, and waved her hand, and as he jumped from his chair, he fancied she flew past the window. "It must be the Snow Queen. " Wouldhe ever see her again?

At last the white winter melted away and green spring burst upon theearth. Then once more summer--warm, bright, beautiful summer. 

It was at five o'clock, one sunny afternoon, that Kay and Gerda sattogether on their little stools in the balcony, looking at apicture-book. 

"Oh!" cried Kay suddenly, "oh, there is something sharp in my eye, and Ihave such a pain in my heart!"

Gerda put her arms round Kay's neck and looked into his eye. 

"I can see nothing, Kay dear. "

"Oh! it is gone now, " said the boy, and they turned again to thepicture-book. 

But something had flown into Kay's eye, and it was not gone; a littlebit had reached his heart, and it was still there. Listen, and I willtell you what had happened. 

There was about this time a most marvelous mirror in the world. Itbelonged to the worst hobgoblin that ever lived, and had been made byhis wicked little demons. 

Those who looked into this mirror saw reflected there all the mean andugly people and things in the world, and not one beautiful sight couldthey see. And the thoughts of those who looked into this mirror becameas mean and ugly as the people and things they saw. 

This delighted the hobgoblin, who ordered his little demons to carry themirror all over the world and to do as much mischief with it as theycould. 

But one day, when they had traveled far, the mirror slipped from thehands of the little imps, and fell to earth, shivered into hundreds ofthousands of millions of bits. Then it did more harm than ever, forthe tiny pieces, some no bigger than a grain of sand, were blown allover the world, and often flew in people's eyes, and sometimes evenfound their way into their hearts. 

 [Illustration: "THEY FLEW UP AND UP ON A DARK CLOUD"]

And when a big person or a child had a little bit of this magic mirrorin his eye, he saw only what was mean and ugly; and if the tiniest grainof the glass reached his heart, alas! alas! it froze all the kindnessand gentleness and love that was there, and the heart became like a lumpof ice. 

This is what had happened to poor little Kay. One tiny bit of the magicmirror had flown into his eye; another had entered his heart. 

"How horrid you look, Gerda. Why are you crying? And oh, see the worm inthat rose. Roses are ugly, and so are window-boxes. " And Kay kicked thewindow-box, and knocked two roses from the rose-bush. 

"Kay dear, what is the matter?" asked Gerda. 

The little boy did not answer, but broke off another rose, and then, without saying good-by, stepped in at his own window, leaving Gerdaalone. 

The next time the little girl brought out the picture-book, Kay tore theleaves, and when the grandmother told them a story, he interrupted herand made ugly faces. And he would tread on Gerda's toes and pull herhair, and make faces at her, too. 

"How cruel little Kay grows, " said his friends; for he mocked the oldpeople and ill-treated those who were weak. And all through the bluesummer and the yellow autumn Kay teased little Gerda, or left her thathe might play with the bigger children in the town. 

But it was when winter came, and the big white snowflakes once more fellfrom a gray sky, that Gerda felt loneliest, for Kay now drew on histhick gloves, slung his little sledge across his back, and marched offalone. "I am going to ride in the square, " he shouted in her ear as hepassed. But Gerda could not answer; she could only think of the wintersthat had gone, when she and Kay always sat side by side in that samelittle sledge. How happy they had been! Oh, why, why had he not takenher with him?

Kay walked briskly to the square, and there he watched the bolder of theboys tie their sledges to the farmers' carts. With what glee they feltthemselves being drawn over the snow-covered ground! When they reachedthe town gates they would jump out, unfasten their sledges, and returnto the square to begin the fun all over again. 

Kay was thinking how much he would like to tie his little sledge behinda cart, when a big sledge, painted white, drove by. In it sat some onemuffled in a white fur coat and cap. Twice the sledge drove round thesquare. 

As it passed Kay the second time, he quickly fastened on his littlesledge behind, and in a moment found himself flying through the streets. What fun! On and on through snowdrifts, bounding over ditches, rushingdown hills, faster and faster they flew. 

Little Kay grew frightened. Twice he tried to unfasten the string thattied his sledge to the other, but both times the white driver turnedround and nodded to him to sit still. At last they had driven throughthe town gates. The snow fell so heavily that it blinded him. Now hecould not see where they were going, and Kay grew more frightened still. He tried to say his prayers, but could only remember the multiplicationtable. Bigger and bigger grew the snowflakes, till they seemed likelarge white birds. Then, suddenly, the sledge stopped. The driver stoodup. She was a tall lady, dazzlingly white. Her eyes shone like twostars. She was the Snow Queen. 

"It is cold, " said the white lady; "come into my sledge. Now, creepinside my furs. "

Kay did as he was told, but he felt as if he had fallen into asnowdrift. 

"You are still cold, " said the Snow Queen, and she kissed his forehead. Her lips were like ice, and Kay shivered and felt the old pain at hisheart. But only for a minute, for the Snow Queen kissed him again, and then he forgot the pain, and he forgot Gerda, and he forgot hisgrandmother and his old home, and had not a thought for anything or anyone but the Snow Queen. 

He had no fear of her now, no, not although they flew up and up on adark cloud, away over woods and lakes, over rivers, islands, and seas. No, he was not afraid, although the cold wind whistled around them, andbeneath the wild wolves howled. Kay did not care. 

Above them the moon shone bright and clear. All night long the boy wouldgaze at it and the twinkling stars, but by day he slept at the feet ofthe Snow Queen. 

 * * *

But what of little Gerda?

Poor child, she watched and she waited and she wondered, but Kay did notcome, and nobody could tell her where he was. The boys had seen himdrive out of the town gates behind a big sledge painted white. But noone had heard of him since. 

Little Gerda cried bitterly. Perhaps Kay was drowned in the river. Oh, what a long, cold winter that was! But spring came at last, brightspring with its golden sunshine and its singing birds. 

"Kay is dead, " said Gerda. 

"Kay dead? It is not true, " said the sunshine. 

"Kay dead? We do not believe it, " twittered the swallows. 

And neither did little Gerda believe it. 

"I will put on my new red shoes, " said the child one morning, "and go tothe river and ask it about Kay. " So she put on her little red shoes, andkissed her old grandmother who was still asleep, and wandered alone, outbeyond the town gates, and down to the river-bank. 

"Have you taken my little playfellow?" she asked. "I will give you theseif you will bring him back to me, " and she flung her little shoes intothe river. 

They fell close to the bank and the little waves tossed them back on tothe dry pebbles at her feet. "We do not want you, we will keep Kay, "they seemed to say. 

"Perhaps I did not throw them far enough, " thought Gerda; and, steppinginto a boat that lay among the rushes, she flung the red shoes with allher might into the middle of the river. 

But the boat was not fastened and it glided out from among the rushes. Soon it was drifting faster and faster down the river. The little shoesfloated behind. 

"Perhaps I am going to little Kay, " thought Gerda, as she was carriedfarther and farther down the river. How pretty it was! Trees waved andflowers nodded on its banks. Sheep grazed and cattle browsed, but notone soul, big or little, was to be seen. 

After a long time Gerda came to a cherry-garden which stretched down tothe river-bank. At the end of this garden stood a tiny cottage with athatched roof, and with red, blue, and yellow glass windows. 

On either side of the door stood a wooden soldier. Gerda thought thesoldiers were alive, and shouted to them. 

The wooden soldiers, of course, did not hear, but an old, old woman, wholived in the tiny house, wondered who it could be that called. Shehobbled out, leaning on her hooked stick. On her head she wore a bigsun-hat, and on it were painted beautiful flowers. 

"You poor child, " said the old, old woman, walking straight into theriver, and catching hold of the boat with her hooked stick; "you poordear!" And she pulled the boat ashore and lifted out little Gerda on tothe green grass. 

Gerda was delighted to be on dry land again, but she was a little bitafraid of the old, old woman, who now asked her who she was and whereshe came from. 

"I am looking for Kay, little Kay. Have you seen him?" began Gerda, andshe went on to tell the old, old woman the whole story of her playmateand his strange disappearance. When she had finished, she asked again, "Have you seen him?"

"No, " said the old, old woman, "but I expect him. Come in, " and she tooklittle Gerda by the hand. "Come to my house and taste my cherries. " Andwhen they had gone into the cottage, the old, old woman locked the door. Then she gave Gerda a plate of the most delicious cherries, and whilethe little girl ate them, the old, old woman combed her hair with agolden comb. 

Now this old, old woman was a witch, and the comb was a magic comb, foras soon as it touched her hair, Gerda forgot all about Kay. And this wasjust what the witch wished, for she was a lonely old woman, and wouldhave liked Gerda to become her own little girl and stay with her always. 

Gerda did enjoy the red cherries, and, while she was still eating them, the old, old woman stole out to the garden and waved her hooked stickover the rose-bushes and they quickly sank beneath the brown earth. For Gerda had told her how fond Kay had once been of their littlerose-bushes in the balcony, and the witch was afraid the sight of roseswould remind the little girl of her lost playmate. But now that theroses had vanished, Gerda might come into the garden. 

How the child danced for joy past the lilies and bluebells, how shesuddenly fell on her knees to smell the pinks and mignonette, and thendanced off again, in and out among the sunflowers and hollyhocks!

Gerda was perfectly happy now, and played among the flowers until thesun sank behind the cherry-trees. Then the old, old woman again took herby the hand, and led her to the little house. And she undressed her andput her into a little bed of white violets, and there the little girldreamed sweet dreams. 

The next day and the next again and for many more Gerda played among theflowers in the garden. 

One morning, as the old woman sat near, Gerda looked at her hat with thewonderful painted flowers. Prettiest of all was a rose. 

"A rose! Why, surely I have seen none in the garden, " thought Gerda, andshe danced off in search. 

But she could find none, and in her disappointment hot tears fell. Andthey fell on the very spot where the roses had grown, and as soon asthe warm drops moistened the earth, the rose-bushes sprang up. 

"You are beautiful, beautiful, " she said; but in a moment the tears fellagain, for she thought of the rose-bushes in the balcony, and sheremembered Kay. 

"Oh Kay, dear, dear Kay, is he dead?" she asked the roses. 

"No, he is not dead, " they answered, "for we have been beneath the brownearth, and he is not there. "

"Then where, oh, where is he?" and she went from flower to flowerwhispering, "Have you seen little Kay?"

But the flowers stood in the sunshine, dreaming their own dreams, andthese they told the little maiden gladly, but of Kay they could not tellher, for they knew nothing. 

Then the little girl ran down the garden path until she came to thegarden gate. She pressed the rusty latch. The gate flew open, and Gerdaran out on her little bare feet into the green fields. And she ran, andshe ran, until she could run no longer. Then she sat down on a big stoneto rest. 

"Why, it must be autumn, " she said sorrowfully, as she looked around. And little Gerda felt sorry that she had stayed so long in the magicgarden, where it was always summer. 

"Why have I not been seeking little Kay?" she asked herself, and shejumped up and trudged along, on and on, out into the great wide world. 

 * * *

At last the cold white winter came again, and still little Gerda waswandering alone through the wide world, for she had not found littleKay. 

"Caw, caw, " said a big raven that hopped on the stone in front of her. "Caw, caw. "

"Have you seen little Kay?" asked Gerda, and she told the bird her sadstory. 

"It may have been Kay, " said the raven, "I cannot tell. But if it was, he will have forgotten you now that he lives with the princess. "

"Does he live with a princess?" asked Gerda. 

"Yes, he does. If you care to listen, I will tell you how it came about. In this kingdom lives a princess so clever that she has read all thenewspapers in the world, and forgotten them again. Last winter she madeup her mind to marry. Her husband, she said, must speak well. He mustknow the proper thing to say, and say it prettily. Otherwise she wouldnot marry. I assure you what I say is perfectly true, for I have a tamesweetheart who lives at court, and she told me the whole story. 

"One day it was published in the newspapers that any handsome young manmight go to the palace to speak to the princess. The one who spoke mostprettily and answered most wisely should be chosen as her husband. Whata stir there was! Young men flocked to the palace in crowds, chatteringas they came. But when they saw the great staircase, and the soldiersin their silver uniform, and the grand ladies in velvet and lace, theycould only talk in whispers. And when they were led before the beautifulprincess, who was seated on a pearl as big as a spinning-wheel, theywere silent. She spoke to them, but they could think of nothing to say, so they repeated her last words over and over again. The princess didnot like that, and she----"

"But Kay, little Kay, did he come?" interrupted Gerda. 

"You are in too great a hurry, " said the raven; "I am just coming tothat. On the third day came a boy with sparkling eyes and golden hair, but his clothes were shabby. He----"

"Oh, that would be Kay. Dear, dear Kay, I have found him at last. "

"He had a knapsack on his back, and----"

"No, it must have been a sledge, " again interrupted Gerda. 

"I said he had a knapsack on his back, and he wore boots that creaked, but----"

"Oh, then it must be Kay, for he had new boots. I heard them creakthrough our attic wall when----"

"Little girl, do not interrupt, but listen to me. He wore boots thatcreaked, but even that did not frighten him. He creaked up the greatstaircase, he passed the soldiers in silver uniform, he bowed to theladies in velvet and lace, and still he was quite at his ease. And whenhe was led before the beautiful princess who was seated on a pearl asbig as a spinning-wheel, he answered so prettily and spoke so wiselythat she chose him as her husband. "

"Indeed, indeed it was Kay, " said little Gerda. "He was so clever. Hecould do arithmetic up to long division. Oh, take me to him. "

"I will see what can be done, " said the raven. "I will talk about it tomy tame sweetheart. She will certainly be able to advise us. Wait hereby the stile, " and the raven wagged his head and flew off. 

It was growing dark before he returned. "Here is a roll my tamesweetheart sent you. 'The little maiden must be hungry, ' she said. As for your going to the palace with those bare feet--the thing isimpossible. The soldiers in silver uniform would not let you go upthe great stair. But do not cry. My sweetheart knows a little backstaircase. She will take you to the prince and princess. Follow me. "

 [Illustration: "'YOU POOR CHILD, ' SAID THE OLD WOMAN, WALKING STRAIGHT INTO THE RIVER"]

On tiptoe little Gerda followed the raven, as he hopped across thesnow-covered field and up the long avenue that led to the palace garden. And in the garden they waited silently until the last light had goneout. Then they turned along the bare walk that led to the back door. Itstood wide open. 

Oh, how little Gerda's heart beat, as on the tips of her little baretoes she followed the raven up the dimly lighted back staircase!

On the landing at the top burned a small lamp. Beside it stood the tamesweetheart. 

Gerda curtsied as her grandmother had taught her. 

"He, " said the tame sweetheart, nodding to the raven of the field, "hehas told me your story. It has made me sad. But if you carry the lamp, Iwill lead the way, and then we shall see----"

"We shall see little Kay, " murmured Gerda. 

"Hush! we shall see what we shall see, " said the tame sweetheart. 

Through room after room Gerda followed her strange guide, her heartthumping and thumping so loudly that she was afraid some one in thepalace would hear it and wake. 

At last they came to a room in which stood two little beds, one whiteand one red. The tame sweetheart nodded to the little girl. 

Poor Gerda! she was trembling all over, as she peeped at the little headthat rested on the pillow of the white bed. 

Oh! that was the princess. 

Gerda turned to the little red bed. The prince was lying on his face, but the hair, surely it was Kay's hair. She drew down the little redcoverlet until she saw a brown neck. Yes! it was Kay's neck, she feltsure. 

"Kay, Kay, it is I, little Gerda, wake, wake. "

And the prince awoke. He turned his head. He opened his eyes--and--alas!alas! it was not little Kay. 

Then Gerda cried and cried as if her heart would break. She cried untilshe awoke the princess, who started up bewildered. 

"Who are you, little girl, and where do you come from, and what do youwant?"

"Oh, I want Kay, little Kay, do you know where he is?" And Gerda toldthe princess all her story, and of what the ravens had done to help her. 

"Poor little child, " said the princess, "how sad you must feel!"

"And how tired, " said the prince, and he jumped out of his little redbed, and made Gerda lie down. 

The little girl was grateful indeed. She folded her hands and was soonfast asleep. 

And Gerda dreamed of Kay. She saw him sitting in his little sledge, andit was dragged by angels. But it was only a dream, and, when she awoke, her little playmate was as far away as ever. 

The ravens were now very happy, for the princess said that, althoughthey must never again lead any one to the palace by the back staircase, this time they should be rewarded. They should for the rest of theirlives live together in the palace garden, and be known as the courtravens, and be fed from the royal kitchen. 

When little Gerda awoke from her dreams, she saw the sunbeams stealingacross her bed. It was time to get up. 

The court ladies dressed the little girl in silk and velvet, and theprince and princess asked her to stay with them at the palace. But Gerdabegged for a little carriage, and a horse, and a pair of boots, that shemight again go out into the great wide world to seek little Kay. 

So they gave her a pair of boots and a muff, and when she was dressed, there before the door stood a carriage of pure gold. The prince himselfhelped Gerda to step in, and the princess waved to her as she drove off. 

But although Gerda was now a grand little girl, she was very lonely. Thecoachman and footman in the scarlet and gold livery did not speak aword. She was glad when the field raven flew to the carriage and perchedby her side. He explained that his wife, for he was now married, wouldhave come also, but she had eaten too much breakfast and was not well. But at the end of three miles the raven said good-by, and flapping hisshiny black wings, flew into an elm. There he watched the goldencarriage till it could no longer be seen. 

Poor Gerda was lonely as ever! There were gingernuts and sugar-biscuitsand fruit in the carriage, but these could not comfort the little girl. 

When would she find Kay?

 * * *

In a dark forest lived a band of wild robbers. Among them was an oldrobber-woman, with shaggy eyebrows and no teeth. She had one littledaughter. 

"Look, look! what is that?" cried the little robber-girl one afternoon, as something like a moving torch gleamed through the forest. It wasGerda's golden carriage. The robbers rushed toward it, drove away thecoachman and the footman, and dragged out the little girl. 

"How plump she is! You will taste nice, my dear, " the old woman said toGerda, as she drew out her long, sharp knife. It glittered horribly. "Now, just stand still, so, and--oh! stop, I say, stop, " screamed theold woman, for at that moment her daughter sprang upon her back and bither ear. And there she hung like some savage little animal. "Oh, my ear, my ear, you bad, wicked child!" But the woman did not now try to killGerda. 

Then the robber-child said, "Little girl, I want you myself, and I wantto ride beside you. " So together they stepped into the golden carriageand drove deep into the wood. "No one will hurt you now, unless I getangry with you, " said the robber-girl, putting her arm round Gerda. "Areyou a princess?"

"No, " said Gerda, and she told the robber-girl all her story. "Have youseen little Kay?" she ended. 

"Never, " said the robber-girl, "never. " Then she looked at Gerda andadded, "No one shall kill you even if I am angry with you. I shall do itmyself. " And she dried Gerda's eyes. "Now this is nice, " and she layback, her red hands in Gerda's warm, soft muff. 

At last the carriage stopped at a robber's castle. It was a ruin. Therobber-girl led Gerda into a large, old hall and gave her a basin of hotsoup. "You shall sleep there to-night, " she said, "with me and my pets. "

Gerda looked where the robber-girl pointed, and saw that in one cornerof the room straw was scattered on the stone floor. 

"Yes, you shall see my pets. Come, lie down now. "

And little Gerda and the robber-girl lay down together on their strawbed. Above, perched on poles, were doves. 

"Mine, all mine, " said the little robber-girl. Jumping up, she seizedthe dove nearest her by the feet and shook it till its wings flapped. Then she slung it against Gerda's face. "Kiss it, " she said. "Yes, allmine; and look, " she went on, "he is mine, too;" and she caught by thehorn a reindeer that was tied to the wall. He had a bright brass collarround his neck. "We have to keep him tied or he would run away. I ticklehim every night with my sharp knife, and then he is afraid;" and thegirl drew from a hole in the wall a long knife, and gently ran it acrossthe reindeer's neck. The poor animal kicked, but the little robber-girllaughed, and then again lay down on her bed of straw. 

"But, " said Gerda, with terror in her eyes, "you are not going to sleepwith that long, sharp knife in your hand?"

"Yes, I always do, " replied the robber-girl; "one never knows what mayhappen. But tell me again all about Kay, and about your journey throughthe wide world. "

And Gerda told all her story over again. Then the little robber-girl putone arm round Gerda's neck, and with her long knife in the other, shefell sound asleep. 

But Gerda could not sleep. How could she, with that sharp knife closebeside her? She would try not to think of it. She would listen to thedoves. "Coo, coo, " they said. Then they came nearer. 

"We have seen little Kay, " they whispered. "He floated by above our nestin the Snow Queen's sledge. She blew upon us as she passed, and her icybreath killed many of us. "

"But where was little Kay going? Where does the Snow Queen live?" askedGerda. 

"The reindeer can tell you everything, " said the doves. 

"Yes, " said the reindeer, "I can tell you. Little Kay was going to theSnow Queen's palace, a splendid palace of glittering ice, away inLapland. "

"Oh, Kay, little Kay!" sighed Gerda. 

"Lie still, or I shall stick my knife into you, " said the littlerobber-girl. 

And little Gerda lay still, but she did not sleep. In the morning shetold the robber-girl what the doves and the reindeer had said. 

The little robber-girl looked very solemn and thoughtful. Then shenodded her head importantly. At last she spoke, not to Gerda, but to thereindeer. 

"I should like to keep you here always, tied by your brass collar tothat wall. Then I should still tickle you with my knife, and have thefun of seeing you kick and struggle. But never mind. Do you know whereLapland is?"

Lapland! of course the reindeer knew. Had he not been born there? Had henot played in its snow-covered fields? As the reindeer thought of hishappy childhood, his eyes danced. 

"Would you like to go back to your old home?" asked the robber-girl. 

The reindeer leaped into the air for joy. 

"Very well, I will soon untie your chain. Mother is still asleep. Comealong, Gerda. Now, I am going to put this little girl on your back, andyou are to carry her safely to the Snow Queen's palace. She must findher little playfellow. " And the robber-girl lifted Gerda up and tied heron the reindeer's back, having first put a little cushion beneath her. "I must keep your muff, Gerda, but you can have mother's big, blackmittens. Come, put your hands in. Oh, they do look ugly. "

"I am going to Kay, little Kay, " and Gerda cried for joy. 

"There is nothing to whimper about, " said the robber-girl. "Look! hereare two loaves and a ham. " Then she opened wide the door, loosened thereindeer's chain, and said, "Now run. "

And the reindeer darted through the open door, Gerda waving herblackmittened hands, and the little robber-girl calling after thereindeer, "Take care of my little girl. "

On and on they sped, over briers and bushes, through fields and forestsand swamps. The wolves howled and the ravens screamed. But Gerda washappy. She was going to Kay. 

 * * *

The loaves and the ham were finished, and Gerda and the reindeer were inLapland. 

They stopped in front of a little hut. Its roof sloped down almost tothe ground, and the door was so low that to get into the hut one had tocreep on hands and knees. How the reindeer squeezed through I cannottell, but there he was in the little hut, telling an old Lapp woman whowas frying fish over a lamp, first his own story and then the sad storyof Gerda and little Kay. 

"Oh, you poor creatures, " said the Lapp woman, "the Snow Queen is notin Lapland at present. She is hundreds of miles away at her palace inFinland. But I will give you a note to a Finn woman, and she will directyou better than I can. " And the Lapp woman wrote a letter on a driedfish, as she had no paper. 

Then, when Gerda had warmed herself by the lamp, the Lapp woman tied heron to the reindeer again, and they squeezed through the little door andwere once more out in the wide world. 

On and on they sped through the long night, while the blue northernlights flickered in the sky overhead, and the crisp snow crackledbeneath their feet. 

At last they reached Finland and knocked on the Finn woman's chimney, for she had no door at all. Then they squeezed down the chimney andfound themselves in a very hot little room. 

The old woman at once loosened Gerda's things, and took off her mittensand boots. Then she put ice on the reindeer's head. Now that hervisitors were more comfortable she could look at the letter theybrought. She read it three times and then put it in the fish-pot, forthis old woman never wasted anything. 

There was silence for five minutes, and then the reindeer again told hisstory first, and afterward the sad story of Gerda and little Kay. 

Once more there was silence for five minutes, and then the Finn womanwhispered to the reindeer. This is what she whispered: "Yes, little Kayis with the Snow Queen, and thinks himself the happiest boy in theworld. But that is because a little bit of the magic mirror is still inhis eye, and another tiny grain remains in his heart. Until they comeout, he can never be the old Kay. As long as they are there, the SnowQueen will have him in her power. "

"But cannot you give Gerda power to overcome the Snow Queen?" whisperedthe reindeer. 

"I cannot give her greater power than she has already. Her own lovingheart has won the help of bird and beast and robber-girl, and it isthat loving heart that will conquer the Snow Queen. But this you can do. Carry little Gerda to the palace garden. It is only two miles from here. You will see a bush covered with red berries. Leave Gerda there andhurry back to me. "

Off sped the reindeer. 

"Oh, my boots and my mittens!" cried Gerda. 

But the reindeer would not stop. On he rushed through the snow until hecame to the bush with the red berries. There he put Gerda down andkissed her, while tears trickled down his face. Then off he bounded, leaving the little girl standing barefoot on the crisp snow. 

Gerda stepped forward. Huge snowflakes were coming to meet her. They didnot fall from the sky. No, they were marching along the ground. And whatstrange shapes they took! Some looked like white hedgehogs, some likepolar bears. They were the Snow Queen's soldiers. 

Gerda grew frightened. But she did not run away. She folded her handsand closed her eyes. "Our Father which art in heaven, " she began, butshe could get no further. The cold was so great that she could not goon. She opened her eyes, and there, surrounding her, was a legion ofbright little angels. They had been formed from her breath, as sheprayed, "Our Father which art in heaven. " And the bright little angelsshivered into a hundred pieces the snowflake army, and Gerda walked onfearlessly toward the palace of the Snow Queen. 

 * * *

Little Kay sits alone in the great ice hall. He does not know that he isblue with cold, for the Snow Queen has kissed away the icy shiveringsand left his heart with no more feeling than a lump of ice. 

And this morning she has flown off to visit the countries of the south, where the grapes and the lemons grow. 

"It is all so blue there, " she had said, "I must go and cast my veil ofwhite across their hills and meadows. " And away she flew. 

So Kay sits in the great ice hall alone. Chips of ice are his onlyplaythings, and now he leaves them on the ice-floor and goes to thewindow to gaze at the snowdrifts in the palace garden. Great gusts ofwind swirl the snow past the windows. Kay can see nothing. He turnsagain to his ice toys. 

Outside, little Gerda struggles through the biting wind, then, sayingher morning prayer, she enters the vast hall. At a glance she sees thelonely boy. In a twinkling she knows it is Kay. Her little bare feetcarry her like wings across the ice floor. Her arms are round his neck. 

"Kay, dear, dear Kay!"

But Kay does not move. He is still and cold as the palace walls. 

Little Gerda bursts into tears, hot, scalding tears. Her arms are yetround Kay's neck, and her tears fall upon his heart of ice. They thawit. They reach the grain of glass, and it melts away. 

And now Kay's tears fall hot and fast, and as they pour, the tiny bit ofglass passes out of his eye, and he sees, he knows, his long-lostplaymate. 

"Little Gerda, little Gerda!" he cries, "where have you been, where haveyou been, where are we now?" and he shivers as he looks round the vastcold hall. 

But Gerda kisses his white cheeks, and they grow rosy; she kisses hiseyes, and they shine like stars; she kisses his hands and feet, and heis strong and glad. 

Hand in hand they wander out of the ice palace. The winds hush, the sunbursts forth. They talk of their grandmother, of their rose-trees. 

The reindeer has come back, and with him there waits another reindeer. They stand by the bush with the red berries. 

The children bound on to their backs, and are carried first to the hutof the Finn woman, and then on to Lapland. The Lapp woman has newclothes ready for them, and brings out her sledge. Once more Kay andGerda are sitting side by side. The Lapp woman drives, and the tworeindeer follow. On and on they speed through the white-robed land. Butnow they leave it behind. The earth wears her mantle of green. 

"Good-by, " they say to the kind Lapp woman; "good-by" to the gentlereindeer. 

Together the children enter a forest. How strange and how sweet the songof the birds!

A young girl on horseback comes galloping toward them. She wears ascarlet cap, and has pistols in her belt. It is the robber-girl. 

"So you have found little Kay. "

Gerda smiles a radiant smile, and asks for the prince and princess. 

"They are traveling far away. "

"And the raven?"

"Oh, the raven is dead. But tell me what you have been doing, and whereyou found little Kay. "

The three children sit down under a fir-tree, and Gerda tells of herjourney through Lapland and Finland, and how at last she had foundlittle Kay in the palace of the Snow Queen. 

"Snip, snap, snorra!" shouts the robber-girl, which is her way of saying"Hurrah!" Then, promising that if ever she is near their town, she willpay them a visit, off she gallops into the wide world. 

On wander the two children, on and on. At last they see the tall towersof the old town where they had lived together. Soon they come to thenarrow street they remember so well. They climb the long, long stair, and burst into the little attic. 

The rose-bush is in bloom, and the sun pours in upon the oldgrandmother, who reads her Bible by the open window. 

Kay and Gerda take their two little stools and sit down one on eitherside of her, and listen to the words from the Good Book. As they listen, a great peace steals into their souls. 

And outside it is summer--warm, bright, beautiful summer. 

THE MASTER-MAID

Once there was a King who had a son, and this Prince would not stay athome, but went a long, long way off to a very far country. There he meta Giant; and though it seems a strange thing for a King's son to do, thePrince went to the Giant's house to be his servant, and the Giant gavethe Prince a room, to sleep in, which, very strangely, had a door onevery side. However, the Prince thought little of this, for he was verytired, and he went quickly to bed, and slept soundly all night. 

Now, the Giant had a large herd of goats; and very likely the Princethought the Giant would send him to herd the goats. But the Giant didnothing of the sort. In the morning he prepared to take the goats topasture himself; but before he set out he told the Prince that heexpected him to clean the stable before he came back in the evening. 

"I am a very easy master, " said the Giant, "and that is all I expect youto do. But remember, I expect the work to be well done. " Then, before hereached the door, he turned back and said, in a threatening way: "Youare not to open a single one of the doors in your room. If you do, Ishall kill you. "

Then the Giant shut the door in a way that seemed to say, "I mean everyword I have said, " and he went off with his goats, and left the Princealone. 

When he was gone, the Prince drummed for a while with his fingers on thewindow. Then, when the Giant and his flock had gone out of sight, hebegan to walk about the room, whistling to himself and looking at theforbidden doors. 

The house seemed silent and lonely, and he really had nothing to do. Toclean a stable with only one stall seemed a very small task for a sturdyboy like him. 

At last he said to himself: "I wonder what the Giant keeps behind thosedoors? I think I shall look and see. "

If the Giant had been there the Prince would have paid dear for hiscuriosity; but he was far away, and the Prince boldly opened the firstdoor, and inside he saw a huge pot, or cauldron, boiling away merrily. 

"What a strange thing, " said the Prince; "there is no fire under thepot. I must go in and see it!"

And into the room he went, and bent down to see what queer soup it wasthat boiled without a fire. As he did so, a lock of his hair dipped intothe pot; and when he raised his head, the lock looked like bronze. Thecauldron was full of boiling copper. 

He went out and closed the door carefully behind him; and, wondering ifthere was a copper pot in the next room, he opened the second door. There was a cauldron inside, boiling merrily; but there was no fire tobe seen. He went over and looked into the pot; and as it did not lookexactly like the first one, he dipped in another lock. When he raisedhis head, up came the lock, weighted heavily with silver. The cauldronwas full of boiling silver. 

Wondering greatly at the Giant's riches, the Prince went out, closed thedoor very carefully, and opened the third door. He almost tip-toed intothis room, he was so curious; but he went through the same performance. And when he raised his head from the third pot that boiled without afire, the third lock of hair was like a heavy tassel of gold. The thirdpot was full of boiling gold. 

Full of amazement at the Giant's great riches, the Prince hurried out ofthe room, and closed the door with the greatest care. By this time hewas so full of curiosity that he ran as fast as he could to the fourthdoor. And yet he scarcely dared to open it to see the riches he was sureit hid behind it. 

However, he opened it, very gently and very quietly; and there on thebench, in the window, looking out, sat a beautiful maiden. 

Although the door opened very quietly, she heard the sound, and lookedup. And when she saw the handsome young Prince standing in the doorway, she started toward him, and cried in great distress: "O boy, boy! whyhave you come here?"

The Prince told her he had come to serve the Giant, and found him a veryeasy master. Indeed, he said the Giant had given him nothing to do thatday but clean the stable. 

The maiden told him that if he tried to clean it as everyone else did, he would never finish the work, because for every pitchforkful he threwout, ten would come back. 

The thing to do, she said, was to use the handle of his pitchfork, andthe work would soon be done. 

The Prince said he would follow her advice; and then they sat all dayand talked of pleasant things. Indeed, they liked each other so wellthat they very soon settled that they would get married. 

When it came toward evening, the maiden reminded the Prince that theGiant would soon be home. So the youth went out to clean the stable. First, he tried to do the work as any other boy would do it; but when hefound that in a very short time he would not have room to stand, hequickly turned the pitchfork around and used the handle. In a fewmoments the stable was as clean as a stable could be. Then he went backto his room and wandered about it with his hands in his pockets, lookingquite as innocent as if he had not raised the latch of a single door. 

Soon the Giant came in and asked if his work was done. The Prince saidit was. Of course, the Giant did not believe him; but he went out tosee. When he came back he said very decidedly to the Prince: "You havebeen talking to my Master-Maid. You could not have learned how to cleanthat stable yourself. "

But the Prince made himself appear as if he had never heard of themaiden before, and asked such stupid questions that the Giant went awaysatisfied, and left him to sleep. 

Next morning, before the Giant set out with his goats, he again toldthe Prince that he would find he was an easy master: all he had todo that day was to catch the Giant's horse that was feeding on themountain-side. And having set him this task, the Giant said that if thePrince opened one of the doors he would kill him. Then he took hisstaff, and was soon out of sight. 

Quick as the Giant disappeared, the Prince, who had no more interest inthe other rooms, opened the fourth door. The maiden asked him about hisday's task; and when she heard it; she told the Prince that the horsewould rush at him with flame bursting from its nostrils, and its mouthwide open to tear him. But, she said, if he would take the bridle thathung on the crook by the door, and fling it straight into the horse'smouth, the beast would become quite tame. He promised to do so; and theytalked all day of pleasant things. And when it came toward evening themaiden reminded him that the Giant would soon be home. 

So the Prince went out to catch the horse; and everything happened asthe maiden said. But when the fiery horse rushed at him with open mouthhe watched his opportunity, and just at the right moment he flung thebridle in between its teeth, and the horse stood still. Then the Princemounted it and rode it quietly home. He put the horse in the stable, andwent to his room, sat down and whistled to himself as if he did not knowthere was a maiden in the world. 

Very soon the Giant came in, and asked about the horse, and the Princesaid very quietly that it was in the stable. The Giant did not believehim; but he went to see, and again accused the Prince of having beentalking to his Master-Maid. 

The Prince pretended to be stupid, and asked silly questions, and saidhe would like to see the maid. "You shall see her soon enough, " theGiant promised, and went away and left the Prince to go to sleep. 

The next day, before the Giant set out, he told the Prince to go downunderground and fetch his taxes. Then he warned the Prince not to touchthe doors, and went off with his goats. 

No sooner was he out of sight than the Prince rushed to the maiden, andasked her how he was to find his way underground to get the taxes, andhow much he should ask for. She took him to the window and pointed out arocky ledge. He must go there, she said, take a club that hung besideit, and knock on the rocky wall. As soon as he did so, a fiery monsterwould come out, and ask his errand. 

"But remember, " said the maiden, "when he asks how much you want, youare to say: 'As much as I can carry. '"

The Prince promised to do as she said, and they sat down close togetherand talked until the evening of what they would do when they escapedfrom the Giant and went home to get married. 

When evening came the maiden reminded the Prince of the Giant's coming, and he went to get the money from the fiery monster. Everything happenedas the maiden said; and when the monster, with sparks flying everywherefrom him, asked fiercely, "How much do you want?" the Prince was not inthe least afraid, but said: "As much as I can carry. "

"It is a good thing you did not ask for a horse-load, " said the monster;and he took the Prince in and filled a sack, which was as much as thePrince could do to carry. Indeed, that was nothing to what the Princesaw there, for gold and silver coins lay around, inside the mountain, like pebbles on the seashore. 

The Prince carried the money back to the Giant's house; and when theGiant reached home, the Prince sat quietly in his room, whistlingsoftly, just as if he had never risen from his seat since the Giantleft. 

The Giant demanded the money for his taxes. "Here it is, " said thePrince, showing him the bursting sack. The Giant examined the money, andthen again accused the Prince of having been talking to the Master-Maid. 

"Master, " said the Prince, "this is the third day you have talked aboutthe Master-Maid. Will you let me see her?"

The Giant looked at the Prince from under his bushy eyebrows, and said:"It is time enough to-morrow. I will show her to you myself, and youwill see quite enough of her, " and he went off and left the Prince tohis sleep. 

But next morning, early, the Giant strode into the Prince's room, andsaying, "Now I will take you to see the Master-Maid, " he opened the doorof the fourth room, beckoned the Prince to follow him in, and said tothe maiden: "Kill this youth, boil him in the large cauldron, and whenthe broth is ready, call me. "

Then, just as if he had said nothing more startling than "Prepare somecauliflower for dinner, " he lay down on the bench and fell so fastasleep that his snores sounded like thunder. 

 [Illustration: "KILL THIS YOUTH. BOIL HIM IN THE LARGE CAULDRON, " SAID THE GIANT]

Immediately the maiden began to make her preparations very neatly andquickly. First, with a little knife she made a small gash in thePrince's little finger and dropped three drops of his blood on thewooden stool, near the cauldron. Then she gathered up a lot of rubbish, such as old shoes and rags, and put them in the cauldron with water andpepper and salt. Last of all, she packed a small chest with gold, andgave it to the Prince to carry; filled a water-flask; took a golden cockand hen, and put a lump of salt and a golden apple in her pocket. Thenthe maid and the Prince ran to the sea-shore as fast as they could, climbed on board a little ship that had come from no-one-knows-where, and sailed away. 

After a while the Giant roused a little, and said sleepily: "Will itsoon boil?"

The first drop of blood answered quietly: "It is just beginning. " Andthe Giant went to sleep again. 

At the end of a few hours more he roused again and asked: "Will it soonbe ready?"

And the second drop said: "Half done, " in the maiden's mournful voice, for she had seen so many dark deeds done that, until the Prince came, she was always sad. 

Again the Giant went to sleep, for several hours; but then he becamequite awake, and asked: "Is it not done yet?"

The third drop said: "Quite ready. " And the Giant sat up, and lookedaround. The maiden was nowhere to be seen, but the Giant went over tothe pot and tasted the soup. 

At once he knew what had happened, and in a furious rage rushed to thesea, but he could not get over it. So he called up his water-sucker, wholay down and drank two or three draughts; and the water fell so low thatthe horizon dropped, and the Giant could see the maiden and the Prince along way off. 

But the Master-Maid told the Prince to throw the lump of salt into thesea, and as soon as he did so it became such a high mountain that theGiant could not cross it, and the water-sucker could not gather up anymore water. 

Then the Giant called his hill-borer, who bored a tunnel through themountain, so that the sucker could go through and drink up more water. 

Then the maiden told the Prince to scatter a few drops from thewater-bottle into the sea. As soon as he did so the sea filled up, andbefore the water-sucker could drink one drop, they were at the otherside, safe in the kingdom of the Prince's father. 

The Prince did not think it was fitting that his bride should walk tohis palace, so he said he would go and fetch seven horses and a carriageto take her there. The maiden begged him not to go, because, she said, he would forget her; but he insisted. Then she asked him to speak to noone while he was away, and on no account to taste anything; and hepromised that he would go straight to the stable for the horses, andwithout speaking a word to anyone, would come straight back. 

When he got to the palace he found it full of a merry company, for hisbrother was going to be married to a lovely princess, who had come froma far-off land. But in answer to their cries of welcome and questionsthe Prince said no word, and only shook his head when they offered himfood, until the pretty laughing young sister of the bride-to-be rolled abright red apple across the courtyard to him. Laughing back at her, hepicked it up, and without thinking bit into it. Immediately he forgotthe Master-Maid, who had saved his life and was now sitting alone on theseashore waiting for him. 

She waited until the night began to grow dark; then she went away intothe wood near the palace to find shelter. There she found a dark hut, owned by a Witch, who at first would not allow her to stay. The Witch'shard heart, however, was softened by the maiden's gold, and she allowedher to have the hut. 

Then the maid flung into the fire a handful of gold, which immediatelymelted and boiled all over the hut, and gilded the dark, dingy walls. The Witch was so frightened that she ran away, and the maid was leftalone in the little gilded house. 

The next morning the Sheriff was passing through the wood, and stoppedto see the gilded house. At once he fell in love with the beautifulmaiden, and asked her to marry him. The maiden asked if he had a greatdeal of money, and the Sheriff said he had a good deal, and went away tofetch it. In the evening he came back with a two-bushel bag of gold; andas he had so much, the maiden seemed to think she would marry him. 

But as they were talking she sprang up, saying she had forgotten to putcoal on the fire. The Sheriff went to do it for her, and immediately sheput a spell on him so that until morning came, he could not let theshovel go, and had to stand all night pouring red hot coals overhimself. In the morning he was a sad sight to see, and hurried home sofast, to hide himself, that people thought he was mad. 

The next day the Attorney passed by, and the same thing happened. TheAttorney brought a four-bushel sack of money to show the maid how richhe was; and while they were talking the maid said she had forgotten toclose the door, so the Attorney went to close it. When he had his handon the latch the maid cried: "May you hold the door, and the door you, and may you go between wall and wall, till day dawns. "

And all night long the Attorney had to rush back and forth, trying toescape from the blows of the door which he could not let go. He made agreat deal of noise, but the maid slept as soundly as if she were in themidst of calm. In the morning the Attorney escaped, and went home sobruised-and-battered looking that everyone stopped and stared at him. 

The next day the Bailiff saw the bright little house and the maid. He atonce fell in love with her, and brought at least six bushels of money toshow how rich she would be, if she married him. The maid seemed to thinkshe would; but while they were talking she suddenly remembered to tie upthe calf. 

The Bailiff went to do it for her, and she put a spell on him, so thatall night long he had to fly over hill and dale holding on to the calf'stail, which he could by no means let go. In the morning he was a sorrysight, as he limped slowly home, with torn coat and ragged boots atwhich everyone looked, for he was always dressed very neatly. 

While all this was happening, the Prince had quite forgotten the maid;and, indeed, it was arranged that he was to marry the young Princess whohad thrown him the apple on the same day that his brother married hersister. 

 [Illustration: THE BAILIFF COULD NOT LET GO OF THE CALF'S TAIL]

But when the two Princes and their brides were seated in the carriagethe trace-pin broke, and no pin could be got that would not break, untilthe Sheriff thought of the maiden's shovel-handle. The King sent toborrow it, and it made a pin that did not break in two. 

Then a curious thing happened: the bottom of the carriage fell out, andas fast as a new one was made it fell to pieces. However, the Attorneythought of the maiden's door. The King sent to borrow it, and it fittedthe bottom of the carriage exactly. 

Everything was now ready, and the coachman cracked his whip; but, strainas they would, the horses could not move the carriage. At last theBailiff thought of the Master-Maid's calf; and although it was a veryridiculous thing to see the King's carriage drawn by a calf, the Kingsent to borrow it. The maiden, who was very obliging, lent it at once. The calf was harnessed to the carriage, and away it went over stock andstone, pulling horse and carriage as easily and quickly as it had pulledthe Bailiff. 

When they got to the church door the carriage began to go round andround so quickly that it was very difficult and dangerous to get out ofit. 

When they were seated at the wedding feast, the Prince said he thoughtthey ought to invite the maiden who lived in the gilded hut, becausewithout her help they could not have got to the church at all. The Kingthought so too; so they sent five courtiers to ask her to the feast. 

"Greet the King, " replied the maid, "and tell him if he is too good tocome to me, I am too good to go to him. "

So the King had to go himself and invite her; and as they went to thepalace he thought she was something else than what she seemed to be. 

So he put her in the place of honor beside the Prince; and after a whilethe Master-Maid took out the golden cock and hen and the golden apple, which she had brought from the Giant's house, and put them on the table. 

At once the cock and hen began to fight. 

"Oh! look how those two there are fighting for the apple, " said thePrince. 

"Yes, and so did we fight to get out of danger, " said the Master-Maid. 

Then the Prince knew her again. The Witch who had thrown him the appledisappeared, and now for the first time they began really to keep thewedding. 

CAP O' RUSHES[J]

Well, there was once a very rich gentleman who had three daughters, andhe thought he'd see how fond they were of him. So he says to the first:

"How much do you love me, my dear?"

"Why, " says she, "as I love my life. "

"That's good, " says he. 

So he says to the second: "How much do you love me, my dear?"

"Why, " says she, "better nor all the world. "

"That's good, " says he. 

So he says to the third: "How much do you love me, my dear?"

"Why, I love you as fresh meat loves salt, " says she. 

Well, but he was angry! "You don't love me at all, " says he, "and in myhouse you stay no more. " So he drove her out, there and then, and shutthe door in her face. 

Well, she went away, on and on, till she came to a fen, and there shegathered a lot of rushes and made them into a kind of a sort of a cloak, with a hood, to cover her from head to foot, and to hide her fineclothes. 

And then she went on and on till she came to a great house. 

"Do you want a maid?" says she. 

"No, we don't, " said they. 

"I haven't nowhere to go, " says she; "and I ask no wages, and will doany sort of work, " says she. 

"Well, " said they, "if you like to wash the pots and scrape thesaucepans you may stay, " said they. 

So she stayed there, and washed the pots, and scraped the saucepans, anddid all the dirty work. And because she gave no name they called her"Cap o' Rushes. "

Well, one day there was to be a great dance a little way off, and theservants were allowed to go and look on at the grand people. Cap o'Rushes said she was too tired to go, so she stayed at home. 

But when they were gone, she offed with her cap o' rushes, and cleanedherself, and went to the dance. And no one there was so finely dressedas she!

Well, who should be there but her master's son, and what should he dobut fall in love with her the minute he set eyes on her. He wouldn'tdance with anyone else. 

But before the dance was done, Cap o' Rushes slipped off and away shewent home. And when the other maids came back she was pretending to beasleep with her cap o' rushes on. 

Well, next morning they said to her: "You did miss a sight, Cap o'Rushes!"

"What was that?" says she. 

"Why, the beautifullest lady you ever saw, dressed right gay and ga'. The young master--he never took his eyes off her. "

"Well, I should like to have seen her, " says Cap o' Rushes. 

"Well, there's to be another dance this evening, and perhaps she'll bethere. "

But, come the evening, Cap o' Rushes said she was too tired to go withthem. Howsoever, when they were gone, she offed with her cap o' rushes, cleaned herself, and away she went to the dance. 

The master's son had been reckoning on seeing her, and he danced with noone else, and never took his eyes off her. But before the dance was overshe slipped off and home she went, and when the maids came back shepretended to be asleep with her cap o' rushes on. 

Next day they said to her again: "Well, Cap o' Rushes, you should havebeen there to see the lady. There she was again, gay and ga', and theyoung master--he never took his eyes off her. "

"Well, there, " says she, "I should ha' liked to ha' seen her. "

"Well, " says they, "there's a dance again this evening, and you must gowith us, for she's sure to be there. "

Well, come this evening, Cap o' Rushes said she was too tired to go; anddo what they would she stayed at home. But when they were gone, sheoffed with her cap o' rushes and cleaned herself, and away she went tothe dance. 

The master's son was rarely glad when he saw her. He danced with nonebut her, and never took his eyes off her. When she wouldn't tell him hername, nor where she came from, he gave her a ring, and told her if hedidn't see her again he should die. 

Well, before the dance was over, off she slipped, and home she went; andwhen the maids came home she was pretending to be asleep with her cap o'rushes on. 

Well, next day they says to her: "There, Cap o' Rushes, you didn't comelast night, and now you won't see the lady, for there's no more dances. "

"Well, I should have rarely liked to have seen her, " says she. 

The master's son he tried every way to find out where the lady wasgone; but go where he might, and ask whom he might, he never heardanything about her. And he got worse and worse for the love of her, tillhe had to keep to his bed. 

"Make some gruel for the young master, " they said to the cook. "He'sdying for the love of the lady. " The cook set about making it, when Capo' Rushes came in. 

"What are you a-doing of?" says she. 

"I'm going to make some gruel for the young master, " says the cook, "forhe's dying for love of the lady. "

"Let me make it, " says Cap o' Rushes. 

Well, the cook wouldn't at first, but at last she said yes, and Cap o'Rushes made the gruel. And when she had made it she slipped the ringinto it on the sly before the cook took it upstairs. 

The young man he drank it, and then he saw the ring at the bottom. 

"Send for the cook, " says he. 

So up she came. 

"Who made this gruel here?" says he. 

"I did, " says the cook, for she was frightened. 

And he looked at her. 

"No, you didn't, " says he. "Say who did it, and you shan't be harmed. "

"Well, then, 't was Cap o' Rushes, " says she. 

"Send Cap o' Rushes here, " says he. 

So Cap o' Rushes came. 

"Did you make my gruel?" says he. 

"Yes, I did, " says she. 

"Where did you get this ring?" says he. 

"From him that gave it me, " says she. 

"Who are you, then?" says the young man. 

"I'll show you, " says she. And she offed with her cap o' rushes, andthere she was in her beautiful clothes. 

Well, the master's son he got well very soon, and they were to bemarried in a little time. It was to be a very grand wedding, andeveryone was asked, far and near. And Cap o' Rushes' father was asked. But she never told anybody who she was. 

But before the wedding, she went to the cook, and says she:

"I want you to dress every dish without a mite of salt. "

"That'll be rare nasty, " says the cook. 

 [Illustration: "AND THERE SHE WAS IN HER BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES"]

"That doesn't signify, " said she. 

Well, the wedding day came, and they were married. And after they weremarried all the company sat down to the dinner. When they began to eatthe meat, it was so tasteless they couldn't eat it. But Cap o' Rushes'father tried first one dish and then another, and then he burst outcrying. 

"What's the matter?" said the master's son to him. 

"Oh!" says he, "I had a daughter. And I asked her how much she loved me. And she said, 'As much as fresh meat loves salt. ' And I turned her frommy door, for I thought she didn't love me. And now I see she loved mebest of all. And she may be dead for aught I know. "

"No, father, here she is!" said Cap o' Rushes. And she goes up to himand puts her arms round him. 

And so they were all happy ever after. 

 [J] From "English Fairy Tales, " collected by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of G. P. Putnam's Sons. 

FULFILLED

It was Christmas eve, and in the great house on the hill there was muchrejoicing and preparation for the feasting on the morrow. A knock cameat the door, and two strangers stood there. "We have lost our way, " theysaid, "and the night is dark and cold, and we do not know where to go, and we would be glad to be allowed to stay for the night. "

But the farmer and his wife said "No!" very shortly. They had no roomfor beggars. 

So the strangers went to the foot of the hill where stood the smallcottage of a laborer and his wife. In this house there was muchhappiness, but there was no preparation for feasting on the morrow. Theywere poor folk, who could not keep the feast. 

But when the strangers came the laborer opened the door wide and badethem enter and draw near the fire and warm themselves. And, becausethere was but one bed in the house, the laborer and his wife gave thatto their guests, and themselves slept on straw in an outer room; but, strange to say, they never slept better in all their lives. 

In the morning they urged the strangers to stay with them, as it was afeast-day, and a sorry time for travelers to be on the road. And, because there was no meat in the house, the laborer went out and killedthe one goat which they owned, and his wife dressed it, and cooked it, and made a feast. Then the strangers and the laborer and his wife wentto church together, and all came home and sat down to the good dinner. 

And when they were departing one of the strangers said to the laborer:"How many horns had the little goat?"

The laborer looked a bit confused, for he had not meant that his guestsshould know that he had sacrificed his last goat for them, but heanswered: "Why, there were but two, of course. "

"Then, " said the guests, "you and your wife shall have two wishes, onefor each of you. "

The laborer and his wife looked at each other, at first in perplexity, and then they smiled. They were very contented, they said. They hadlooked into each other's eyes, and had seen that which made forhappiness and contentment. So they told the guests that they had nowishes to make: if they might but have their daily bread, and the hopeof heaven when they died, there was nothing more. 

The strangers said that these things should certainly be fulfilled, andtook their leave, promising to come again next year, and spend thenight, and attend church, and share the feast with their friends. 

From that day on everything that the laborer and his wife did prospered. Their pigs were fat, and brought good prices on the market; their corngrew thick and tall, and the barns were filled with golden grain; theirhens laid more and bigger eggs than ever before, so that soon the couplewere no longer poor, but prosperous. 

They knew quite well to whom they owed such good fortune, and oftenspoke about it, and looked forward to the time when their friends shouldcome again next year. For it seemed to them that they could hardly enjoythe good things that had been given to them until they had thanked thosethrough whose favor the good fortune had come. 

Now, the farmer and his wife remembered that these strangers had firstcome to them; and when they heard the story they were envious, for, although they were rich, they were not content. 

So one day the farmer went down the hill to the laborer's cottage andsaid:

"After all, your house is but small to entertain such guests. When theycome again this year, send them up to our house, and we will give them agrand feast, and soft beds to sleep on, and take them to the church inour fine carriage. "

The laborer and his wife thought that it was very nice that theirfriends were to be so well entertained, and were very willing to promiseto send them to the house of the farmer. 

So when the Christmas season was come the farmer and his wife killed anox, and prepared a great feast. And when the strangers came they wereright royally entertained; but the next morning they said that they musthasten, as they were to enter the church with the friends of the yearbefore. This was very satisfactory to the farmer and his wife, for theydid not want to go to church on Christmas Day, but the farmer said thatsince the strangers were going to the church he would drive them therein his carriage. 

So the finest horses on the farm were harnessed to the carriage and itstood at the door. And just as they were about to drive away one of thestrangers turned to the farmer, asking: "Did you kill the ox for us?"

"Oh, yes, " answered the farmer, eagerly. 

"And how many horns did he have?"

This was the question that the farmer and his wife had been waiting for, and the farmer's wife whispered in her husband's ear: "Say four--therewill be that much more for us. "

So the farmer answered: "Indeed, it was a very peculiar ox; it had fourhorns. "

"Then, " said the stranger, "you shall have four wishes, two for each ofyou. "

Then they mounted into the carriage and were driven off to the church, the farmer driving very fast, for he was eager to get back home to hiswife so that they might talk over what they were to wish for. 

So when he started back the horses were pretty well "blown, " and couldnot go fast, and the farmer whipped them, and at last one of themstumbled and a trace broke. This was most provoking, and he could notwait to fix it right, but fastened it hastily, for he wanted to be athome again. Then the other horse stumbled, and the other trace broke, soboth of them were down. 

At this the farmer was very angry. "The wicked elves take you! I wish--"But the words were not all out of his mouth before the horses had gone, leaving the harness dangling to the carriage. 

The farmer was indeed angry now, but there was nothing to be done aboutit, and he knew that he had but one wish left and he wanted to make thatone very carefully, so he packed the harness on his back, left the wagonstanding, and started home on foot. 

Now, at home the farmer's wife was very impatient for him to come, forshe wanted to talk over with him what her two wishes should be, and atlast she exclaimed: "Oh, I wish that he would hurry!"

No sooner were the words spoken than the farmer shot through the air andinto the house, angry at having been brought so speedily, and at hiswife for having so foolishly wasted a wish. So immediately they began toquarrel about it, and the farmer said that it was all her fault formaking him lie about the number of horns on the ox. 

"Plague take the woman!" he exclaimed, "I wish that two of the hornswere growing out of her head this minute!"

No sooner were the words spoken than the woman threw her hands to herhead and cried aloud in pain, for two horns were growing rapidly, one oneach side of her head, and soon they were pushing through her hair andshoving her cap aside. 

But the farmer clapped his hand to his mouth exclaiming: "Oh, that wasmy last wish. Do you now quickly wish for a million dollars!"

"Much good a million dollars would do me!" said his wife, "with horns onmy head like an ox!"

"But you could buy bonnets of silk and of velvet and cover them up, "pleaded her husband, who saw his last hope of riches disappearing, as, indeed, it did, for he had hardly stopped speaking when his wifeexclaimed: "I wish that the horns were gone off of my head. "

And in a moment the horns were gone, and so was the last wish, and sowas the hope for great riches, and so, also, were the two fine horses!

KING GRISLY-BEARD

RETOLD FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Once there was a great King who had a daughter that was very beautiful, but so haughty and vain she thought none of the Princes who came to askher in marriage were good enough for her, and she made sport of them. 

One day the King, her father, held a great feast, and invited all thePrinces at once. They sat in a row, according to their rank--Kings andPrinces and Dukes and Earls. Then the Princess came in, and passed downthe line by them all; but she had something disagreeable to say toevery one. The first was too fat. "He's as round as a tub!" she said. The next one was too tall. "What a flag-pole!" she declared. The nextwas too short. "What a dumpling!" was her comment. The fourth was toopale, and so she called him "Wall-face. " The fifth was too red, and wasnamed "Coxcomb. "

Thus she had some joke upon every one, but she laughed more than all ata good King who was there. "Look at him, " said she; "his beard is likean old mop. I call him 'Grisly-Beard. '" So after that the good King gotthe nickname of "Grisly-Beard. "

Now the old King, her father, was very angry when he saw how badly hisdaughter behaved, and how she treated all his friends. So he said that, willing or unwilling, she should marry the first beggar that came to thedoor! All the Kings and Nobles heard him say this. 

Two days afterward a traveling singer came by. When he began to sing andbeg alms the King heard him and said: "Let him come in. " So they broughtin a dirty-looking fellow, and he sang before the King and the Princess. When he begged a gift the King said: "You have sung so well that I willgive you my daughter for your wife. "

 [Illustration: "YOU HAVE SUNG SO WELL I WILL GIVE YOU MY DAUGHTER FOR YOUR WIFE"]

The Princess begged for mercy, but her father said: "I shall keep myword. " So the parson was sent for, and she was married to the singer. Then the King said: "You must get ready; you can't stay here any longer;you must travel on with your husband. "

Then the beggar departed and took his wife with him. 

Soon they came to a great wood. "Whose wood is this?" she asked. 

"It belongs to King Grisly-Beard, " said he. "If you had taken him thiswould have been yours. "

"Ah, unlucky girl that I am! I wish I had taken King Grisly-Beard. "

Next they came to some fine meadows. "Whose are these beautiful greenmeadows?" she asked. 

"They belong to King Grisly-Beard. If you had taken him they would havebeen yours. "

"Ah, unlucky girl that I am! I wish indeed I had married KingGrisly-Beard. "

Then they came to a great city. "Whose is this noble city?" she asked. 

"It belongs to King Grisly-Beard, " he said again. "If you had taken himthis would have been yours, also. "

 [Illustration: A DRUNKEN SOLDIER RODE HIS HORSE AGAINST HER STALL]

"Ah, miserable girl that I am, " she sighed. "Why did I not marry KingGrisly-Beard?"

"That is no business of mine, " said the singer. 

At last they came to a small cottage. "To whom does this little hovelbelong?" she asked. 

"This is yours and mine, " said the beggar. "This is where we are tolive. "

"Where are your servants?" she asked, falteringly. 

"We cannot afford servants, " said he. "You will have to do whatever isto be done. Now, make the fire and put on water and cook my supper. "

The Princess knew nothing of making fires and cooking, and the beggarwas forced to help her. Early the next morning he called her to cleanthe house. 

Thus they lived for three days, and when they had eaten up all there wasin the cottage, the man said: "Wife, we can't go on like this, spendingmoney and earning nothing. You must learn to weave baskets. " So he wentout and cut willows, and brought them home and taught her how to weave. But it made her fingers very sore. 

"I see that this will never do, " said her husband; "try and spin. Perhaps you will do that better. "

So she sat down and tried to spin, and her husband tried to teach her;but the threads cut her tender fingers till the blood ran. 

"I am afraid you are good for nothing, " said the man. "What a bargain Ihave got. However, I will try and set up a trade in pots and pans, andyou shall stand in the market and sell them. "

"Alas!" sighed she, "when I stand in the market, if any of my father'scourt pass by and see me there, how they will laugh at me!"

But the beggar said she must work, if she did not wish to die of hunger. At first, the trade went very well, for many people, seeing such abeautiful woman, bought her wares and paid their money without thinkingof taking away the goods. Then her husband bought a fresh lot of ware, and she sat down one day with it in the corner of the market; but adrunken soldier came by and rode his horse against her stall, and brokeher goods into a thousand pieces. So she began to weep: "Ah, what willbecome of me?" said she. "What will my husband say?" So she ran home andtold him all. 

"How silly you were, " he said, "to put a china-stall in the corner ofthe market where everybody passes; but let us have no more crying. I seeyou are not fit for this sort of work; so I will go to the King's palaceand ask if they do not want a kitchen-maid. "

So the next day the Princess became a kitchen-maid, and helped the cookdo all the dirtiest work. 

She had not been there long before she heard that the eldest son of theKing of that country was going to be married. She looked out of one ofthe windows and saw all the ladies and gentlemen of the court in finearray. Then she thought with a sore heart of her own sad fate. Herhusband, it is true, had been in a way kind to her; but she realized nowthe pride and folly which had brought her so low. 

All of a sudden, as she was going out to take some food to her husbandin their humble cottage, the King's son in golden clothes broke throughthe crowd; and when he saw a beautiful woman at the kitchen door, hetook her by the hand and said that she should be his partner in thedance. 

Then she trembled for fear, for when she looked up she saw that it wasKing Grisly-Beard himself who was making fun of her. However, he led herinto the ballroom, and as he did so the cover of her basket came off, sothat the fragments of food in it fell to the floor. Then everybodylaughed and jeered at her, and she wished herself a thousand feet deepin the earth. 

She sprang to the door to run away; but King Grisly-Beard overtook her, brought her back, and threw his golden cloak over her shoulders. 

"Do not be afraid, my dear, " said he; "I am the beggar who has livedwith you in the hut. I brought you there because I loved you. I am alsothe soldier who upset your stall. I have done all this to cure you ofyour pride. Now it is all over; you have learned wisdom, and it is timefor us to hold our marriage feast. "

Then the maids came and brought her the most beautiful robes, and herfather and his whole court came in and wished her much happiness. Thefeast was grand, and all were merry; and I wish you and I had been ofthe party. 

 [Illustration]

_The Country Rat and the Town Rat_

[Illustration]

A Country Rat invited a Town Rat, an intimate friend, to pay him avisit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bareplough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from thehedge row, the Town Rat said to his friend, "You live here the life ofthe ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded withevery luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would, you shall have an ample share of my dainties. " The Country Rat waseasily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival, the Town Rat placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs, honey, raisins, and last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from abasket. The Country Rat being much delighted at the sight of such goodcheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented his ownhard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened the door, and they both ran off squeaking as fast as they could to a hole sonarrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing. They hadscarcely again begun their repast when someone else entered to takesomething out of a cupboard, on which the two Rats, more frightened thanbefore, ran away and hid themselves. At last the Country Rat, almostfamished, thus addressed his friend: "Although you have prepared for meso dainty a feast, I must leave you to enjoy it by yourself. It issurrounded by too many dangers to please me. I prefer my bareplough-lands and roots from the hedge row, so that I only can live insafety and without fear. "

 _#Peace is more desirable than wealth#_

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration: FABLES]

THE FOX AND THE GOAT

A Fox one day tried to drink at a well when he caught his feet on astone and fell into the water. It was not so deep as to drown him, yetthe poor Fox could not get out. Soon a Goat came that way. He, too, thought he would drink, but then he saw the Fox in the well, so he said, "Is the water good?" "Oh, yes, " said the Fox, "it is very good and nice, and there is a lot of it. " In sprang the Goat, and at once the Foxsprang on to his back, and thence out of the well. "Ah, my friend!" saidhe, as he stood safe on the brink, "if your brains had been as large asyour beard, you would have seen where you meant to jump to!" and thenthe sly Fox ran off and left the poor Goat in the well. _Look before youleap. _

THE TWO FROGS

Two Frogs were neighbors. The one inhabited a deep pond, far removedfrom public view; the other lived in a gully containing little water, and traversed by a country road. He that lived in the pond warned hisfriend, and entreated him to change his residence and come and live withhim, saying that he could enjoy greater safety from danger and moreabundant food. The other refused, saying that he felt it so very hardto remove from a place to which he had become accustomed. A few daysafterward a heavy wagon passed through the gully, and crushed him todeath under its wheels. _A wilful man will have his way to his ownhurt. _

THE DOG IN THE MANGER

A cross Dog lay in a manger full of hay; and when the Ox came near toeat his own food, the rude and ill-bred cur at once began to snarl andbite at him. "What a selfish Beast thou art!" said the Ox; "thou canstnot eat the hay thyself, nor wilt thou look on while others feed. " _Donot be selfish. _

THE STAG AT THE POOL

One hot day, a Stag, who came down from the hills to quench his thirstat a pool of clear water, saw his form in the stream. "Ah!" said he, "what fine horns these are--with what grace do they rise above my head!I wish that all the parts of my body were as good as they. But sometimesI quite blush at these poor, thin, weak legs of mine. " While he thoughtthus, all at once the cries of the huntsman and the bay of the houndswere heard. Away flew the Stag, and by the aid of these same thin, weaklegs he soon outran the hunt. At last he found himself in a wood, and hehad the bad luck to catch his fine horns in the branch of a tree, wherehe was held till the hounds came up and caught him. He now saw howfoolish he had been in thinking so ill of his legs which would havebrought him safely away, and in being so vain of those horns which hadcaused his ruin. _The useful is better than the beautiful. _

THE WAR-HORSE AND THE ASS

A War-Horse, grand in all the trappings of war, came with a great noisedown the road. The ground rang with the sound of his hoofs. At the sametime a meek Ass went with tired step down the same road with a greatload on his back. The Horse cried to the poor Ass to "get out of my way, or I will crush you beneath my feet. " The Ass, who did not wish to makethe proud horse cross, at once went to the side, so that he might passhim. Not long after this, the Horse was sent to the wars. There he hadthe ill-luck to get a bad wound, and in that state, as he was not fit toserve in the field of war, his fine clothes were taken from him, and hewas sold to the man with whom the Ass dwelt. Thus the Ass and the Horsemet once more, but this time the grand War-Horse was, with great painsand toil, drawing a cart with a load of bricks. Then the Ass saw whatsmall cause he had to think his lot worse than that of the Horse, whohad in times gone by treated him with so much scorn. _Pride will have afall. _

THE FROGS WHO WANTED A KING

In old times when the Frogs swam at ease through the ponds and lakes, they grew tired of their tame mode of life. They thought they would likesome kind of change, so they all met and with much noise prayed to Joveto send them a King. Jove and all the gods laughed loud at the Frogs, and with a view to please them he threw to them a log, and said, "Thereis a King for you!" The loud fall of the log made a great splash in thelake, which sent a thrill through all the Frogs; and it was long erethey dared to take a peep at their new lord and King. At length some ofthe more brave swam to him, and they were soon followed by the rest; andwhen they saw that he did not move but lay quite still, they leaped uponhis back, and sprang and sang on him, and cried out that he was no Kingbut a log. Such a King did not at all please them; so they sent a freshprayer to Jove to beg him for a King who had some life, and would move. Then Jove sent a Stork, and said he thought this would suit them. TheStork had but just come to the Frogs than he set to work to eat them upas fast as he could. Of course the Frogs did not like this new King evenas well as King Log, and they sent at once to Jove and prayed to him totake away the Stork. They would rather have no King at all than all beeaten up. But Jove would not grant their prayer this time. "No, " saidhe, "it was your own wish, and if you will be so vain and foolish, youmust pay the cost. " _It is better to bear the ills we have than fly tothose we know not of. _

 [Illustration]

THE OX AND THE FROG

An ox, drinking at a pool, trod on a brood of young frogs, and crushedone of them to death. The mother coming up, and missing one of her sons, inquired of his brothers what had become of him. 

"He is dead, " said they; "for just now a very huge beast with four greatfeet came to the pool and crushed him with his cloven heel. "

The frog, puffing herself out, inquired, "Was the beast as big as _that_in size?"

"Cease mother, to puff yourself out, " said her son, "and do not beangry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfullyimitate the hugeness of that monster. "

_To know the limitations of our nature, and act accordingly, is the partof wisdom. _

 [Illustration]

THE HERON WHO WAS HARD TO PLEASE

A heron having bolted down too large a fish, burst its deep gullet-bagand lay down on the shore to die. A kite seeing it, exclaimed: "Yourichly deserve your fate; for a bird of the air has no business to seekits food from the sea. "

_Everyone should be content to mind his own business. _

 [Illustration]

THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF

A Shepherd Boy, who tended his sheep in a field near a village, used tomake fun of his friends by crying out now and then, "A Wolf! a Wolf!" asif a Wolf were at the heels of his sheep. This trick did well more thanonce. The men who were in the village would leave their work, and comein hot haste to the boy's help, each man with an axe or a club withwhich to kill the Wolf. But as each time they found that it was a Boy'sjoke, they made up their minds not to come at his cries. One day theWolf did come; and the Boy cried and cried, "The Wolf! The Wolf! Help!Help!" But it was all in vain, each man thought he was at his old gameagain. So the Wolf ate the poor Sheep. _No one trusts a liar even whenhe speaks the truth. _

THE ASS, THE COCK, AND THE LION

An Ass and a Cock one day ate together just as a fine Lion passed by. Assoon as he had cast his eyes on the Ass, he made up his mind to make ameal of him. But it is said that the Lion, though he is the King ofBeasts, dreads to hear a cock crow. Now, it came to pass that, just asthe Lion was in the act of springing on the Ass, the Cock sent forth aloud and shrill crow. The Lion took to his heels at once, and ran offas fast as he could. The Ass saw this, and thought that the Lion wasrunning off through fear of him. So he gave a great bray, and threw uphis head, and started to chase the runaway King of Beasts. But they hadnot gone far in this way when the Lion turned round. He soon saw thatthere was but an Ass behind him; so he stood still in his flight, laidhold of the poor Ass, and soon tore him to pieces. _Pride oft leads toruin. _

THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX

A Lion and a Bear were roaming together in the wood when they found adead Fawn. "This belongs to me, " cried the Bear, for she had been thefirst to catch sight of it. "No! to me, " said the Lion; "am I not theKing of Beasts?" As they could not agree as to who should own the bodyof the Fawn, they fell to blows. The fight was hard and long; and atlast both were so faint and weak with loss of blood that they lay downon the ground and panted, for they were quite out of breath. Just then aFox went by, and saw that the Bear and the Lion had no strength left, sohe quickly stepped in between them and bore off the Fawn as his prize. "Ah!" said they, "how foolish we have been! The end of all our fightinghas been to give that sly scamp the Fox a good meal. " _Half a loaf isbetter than no bread. _

THE HORSE AND THE STAG

The Horse had the plain entirely to himself. A Stag intruded into hisdomain, and shared his pasture. The Horse desiring to revenge himselfon the stranger, requested a man, if he were willing to help him inpunishing the Stag. The man replied, that if the Horse would receivea bit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, that he would contriveeffectual weapons against the Stag. The Horse consented and allowed theman to mount him. From that hour he found that, instead of obtainingrevenge on the Stag, he had enslaved himself to the service of man. _Beware of him who demands pay for a courtesy. _

THE LION AND THE BOAR

On a summer day, when the great heat induced a general thirst, a Lionand a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink. Theyfiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soonengaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping on a suddento take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw someVultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one which should fallfirst. They at once made up their quarrel, saying, "_It is better for usto make friends than to become the food of Crows or Vultures. _"

THE HUNTSMAN AND THE FISHERMAN

A Huntsman, returning with his dogs from the field, fell in by chancewith a Fisherman, bringing home a basket well laden with fish. TheHuntsman wished to have the fish; and their owner experienced an equallonging for the contents of the game-bag. They quickly agreed toexchange the produce of their day's sport. Each was so well pleased withhis bargain that for some time they made the same exchange day afterday. A neighbor said to them, "If you go on in this way, you will soondestroy, by frequent use, the pleasure of your exchange, and each willagain wish to retain the fruits of his own sport. " _Abstain and enjoy. _

 [Illustration]

THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN

An ass, having put on the lion's skin, roamed about in the forest, andamused himself by frightening all the foolish animals he met with in hiswanderings. At last, meeting a fox, he tried to frighten him also, butthe fox no sooner heard the sound of his voice than he exclaimed: "Imight possibly have been frightened myself, if I had not heard youbray. "

_Deceitfulness has too many ill-concealed marks to escape discovery bysomeone, sometime. _

 [Illustration: THE CAT AND THE MONKEY]

 [Illustration: A MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS]

 [Illustration: THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE]

 [Illustration: THE TOWN RAT AND THE COUNTRY RAT]

 FROM DRAWINGS BY BESS BRUCE CLEVELAND

 [Illustration: THE HEN AND THE GOLDEN EGGS]

 [Illustration: THE LION AND THE GNAT]

 [Illustration: THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN]

 [Illustration: THE OX AND THE FROG]

 FROM DRAWINGS BY BESS BRUCE CLEVELAND

 [Illustration]

THE HARE and THE TORTOISE

A hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the tortoise. The latter laughing, said: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beatyou in a race. " The hare, deeming her assertion to be simply impossibleassented to the proposal; and they agreed that the fox should choose thecourse and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race they startedtogether. The tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with aslow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The hare, trusting to his native swiftness, cared little about the race, and lyingdown by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last, waking up, and moving asfast as he could, he saw the tortoise had reached the goal, and wascomfortably dozing after her fatigue. 

 _Slow and steady wins the race. _

THE FOX AND THE WOOD-CUTTER

A Fox, running before the hounds, came across a Wood-cutter felling anoak, and besought him to show him a safe hiding-place. The Wood-cutteradvised him to take shelter in his own hut. The Fox crept in and hidhimself in a corner. The huntsman came up with his hounds, in a fewminutes, and inquired of the Wood-cutter if he had not seen the Fox. Hedeclared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he wasspeaking, to the hut where the Fox lay hid. The huntsman took no noticeof the signs, but, believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. Assoon as they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any noticeof the Wood-cutter: whereon he called to him, and reproached him, saying, "You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet youleave me without a word of thanks. " The Fox replied, "Indeed, I shouldhave thanked you fervently, _if your deeds had been as good as yourwords, and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech_. "

THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS ON A HUNT

The Lion and a lot of other Beasts made a plan to share whatever theycaught when they went on a hunt. The first day they went out they took afat Stag, which was cut up into three parts. The Lion said he would bethe chief judge, and laid his paw on one of the shares, and thus spoke:"This first piece I claim as your lord and king; this part, too, I claimas the most brave and most fierce of you all; and as for the third, " hecried, as he bent his big, bright eyes on the crowd of Beasts, "I meanto take that, too, and let me see which of you dare stop me!" _Might isapt to make a right. _

THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW

A man shot a shaft at an Eagle, and hit him in the heart. When in thepains of death, the Eagle saw that the dart was made in part with one ofhis own quills. "Ah!" said he, "how much more sharp are wounds which aremade by arms which we have ourselves made!" _It is sad to find that weare the cause of our own ills. _

THE MOUSE AND THE FROG

One day a Mouse met a Frog, and so well did they like each other thatthey said they would travel together. The Frog feared lest the Mouseshould come to harm, and so tied his own hind-leg to the fore-leg of theMouse. After a walk of some days like this on land, they came to a pond. The Frog made a start to swim, and bade the Mouse be of good heart. When they had got half-way over, the Frog made a sharp plunge to thebottom--and of course took the Mouse with him. The poor Mouse tried sohard to get to the top of the water again, and made such a splash, andsuch a noise, that a Kite that was flying past heard it, flew down, caught the Mouse, bore him off, and took the Frog with him. _Self-helpis best. _

THE WOLF AND THE GOAT

As a Goat stood on the top of a high rock, a Wolf who could not get ather where she was thus spoke to her: "Pray come down; I much fear thatyou will fall from that great height; and you will, too, find the grassdown here much more fresh and thick. " "I am much pleased by your kindthought, " said the Goat, "but do not mind if I do not accept it, as Ithink that you think more of your own meal than of mine. " _Keep far fromthose you do not trust. _

THE BAD DOG

There was once a Dog which was so fierce and bad that his master had totie a big clog round his neck lest he should bite and tease men and boysin the street. The Dog thought that this was a thing to be proud of, soran through the best known streets, and grew so vain that he scorned thedogs he met, and would not be seen with them. But one of them said inhis ear, "You are wrong, my friend; the badge round your neck is a markof shame, not a cause for pride. " _Some win fame only for their folly. _

THE KID AND THE WOLF

A Kid who had left the side of her dam was caught by a Wolf. When shesaw that the Wolf had got her fast, and that there was no chance offlight, the Kid said, "If my life is to be short, let it at least begay. Do you pipe for a time, and I will dance. " So the Wolf set to playand the Kid to dance; but the music was heard by some Dogs who werenear, and they ran to find out what it was for. When the Wolf saw themon their way he ran off as fast as his legs could go, and then the Dogstook the Kid home to her dam. _There is oft a slip between the cup andthe lip. _

 [Illustration]

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A famished fox saw some clusters of rich black grapes hanging from atrellised vine. She resorted to all her tricks to get them, but weariedherself in vain, for she could not reach high enough. At last, sheturned away, beguiling herself of her disappointment by saying: "Thegrapes are sour, and not ripe as I thought. "

_Disappointment may be lightened by philosophy, even if the latter iswrong. _

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration]

THE FOX AND THE RAVEN

A raven having stolen a bit of cheese, perched in a tree, and held it inher beak. A fox seeing her longed to possess himself of the cheese, andby wily stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the raven, " he exclaimed, "in the beauty of her shape, and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly beconsidered the Queen of the birds!" This he said deceitfully; but theraven, anxious to refute the reflection cast upon her voice, set up aloud caw, and dropped the cheese. The fox quickly picked it up, and thusaddressed the raven: "My good raven, your voice is right enough, butyour wit is wanting. "

 _Flattery is often a mask to hide evil. _

 [Illustration]

THE BULL AND THE GOAT

A Bull fled from a Lion and ran into a cave where a Goat lived. The Goattried to stop his entrance, and struck at him with his horns. The Bull, though cross at this, did not butt at the Goat on the spot, but justsaid, "Do not think that I fear you. Wait till the Lion is out of sight, and then I will treat you as you deserve. " _Never profit by the woes ofothers. _

THE RAVEN AND THE SWAN

A Raven who did not like his black coat had the wish to grow as white asa Swan. So he left his old friends and haunts, and went to the streamsand lakes, where he spent all his time washing and dressing his clothes;but all was of no use, he was just as black as ever; and as he had nothad food that was good for him, he soon grew ill and died. _We cannotchange our skins. _

THE THIEF AND THE DOG

One night a Thief came to a house that he meant to rob; but he knew thathe had no chance to do this till he had made the Dog who took care of itquiet. So he threw to him some sops with the hope that that would stophis bark. "Get out will you!" cried the Dog; "I did not trust you fromthe first, but now I know that you mean no good!" _Do not take a bribeto do wrong. _

THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS

A man who had a Horse and an Ass had a way of putting all the load onthe back of the Ass, and none on the Horse. One day as they went in thisway by a long, long road, the poor tired Ass tried to get the Horse tohelp him to bear his load. But the Horse was not kind, and said lots ofcruel things to the Ass and said he must trudge on in front. The Ass didtrudge on; but the weight was too much for him, so he fell down on theroad, and at once died. The man then came up, took the load from theback of the Ass, and laid it on that of the Horse; and made him bear thebody of the Ass, too. So the Horse was punished, and at last had to bearthe whole of the load. _Be kind to the weak. _

THE ASS WITH THE SALT

A Man who had an Ass heard that salt was to be bought for less gold atthe seaside than where he was, so he went there to buy some. He put asmuch on his Ass as he could bear, and was going home, when just as theyhad to cross a small bridge, the Ass fell into the stream; the salt atonce melted, so the Ass with ease got up the bank, and, now free fromhis load, went on his way with a light heart. Very soon after this theman went to the seaside once more, and put still more salt on his Ass. As they went their way they came once more to the bridge where the Assfell into the stream. The Ass thought of his fall and what had come ofit, and this time took care to roll into the water once more; the saltwas again gone, and he was free from his load. The Man was cross atthis, and thought to cure the Ass of this trick, so the third time hegave him a load of sponges. As soon as they came to the bridge the Assfell into the stream; but as the sponges drew in the water he found ashe trudged home that this time his load had grown in weight. _We mayplay a trick once too often. _

THE COCK AND THE JEWEL

As a young Cock tried to find food for himself and his Hens in afarmyard, he saw a gem which shone with bright rays, and which some onehad let fall there. The Cock did not see what use such a thing could beto him, and did not stop to think if it might be of use to any one else. But he shook his head with a wise air, and said: "You shine like a veryfine and rare thing, but for my part my taste lies in quite anotherline. I would rather have a grain of corn than all the gems in theworld. " _Learn how to use all things for good. _

THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL

A Fox, caught in a trap, escaped with the loss of his "brush. "Henceforth feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule towhich he was exposed, he schemed to bring all the other Foxes into alike condition with himself, that in the common loss he might thebetter conceal his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes, andpublicly advised them to cut off their tails saying "that they would notonly look much better without them, but that they would get rid of theweight of the brush, which was a great inconvenience. " One of theminterrupting him said, "_If you had not yourself lost your tail, myfriend, you would not thus counsel us. _"

 [Illustration]

THE EAGLE AND THE JACKDAW

An eagle flying down from his eyrie on a lofty rock, seized upon alamb, and carried him aloft in his talons. A jackdaw, who witnessed thecapture of the lamb, was stirred with envy, and determined to emulatethe strength and flight of the eagle. He flew around with a great whirof his wings, and settled upon a large ram, with the intention ofcarrying him off; but his claws becoming entangled in his fleece he wasnot able to release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers asmuch as he could. The shepherd, seeing what had happened, ran up andcaught him. He at once clipped his wings, and taking him home at night, gave him to his children. On their saying: "Father, what kind of bird isit?" he replied: "To my certain knowledge he is a daw; but he will haveit that he is an eagle. "

 _We should know our weakness and our strength. _

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration]

THE HEN AND THE GOLDEN EGGS

A Cottager and his wife had a hen which laid every day a golden egg. They supposed that it must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and killed it in order that they might get it, when to their surprisethey found that the hen differed in no respect from their other hens. The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprivedthemselves of the gain of which they were day by day assured. 

_It is better to be content with small things that are certain than toseek big things that are uncertain. _

THE DOG AND THE ASS

An Ass laden with loaves of bread was going on a long journey with a dogto guard him from harm. Before the journey was ended both were famishedwith hunger, which the Ass was able to appease by eating the grass andthistles that grew by the roadside. Seeing this, the dog's hunger becamestill sharper, so that he begged for a piece of bread from the Ass'sload. 

"If you are hungry, " said the Ass rudely, "you can eat grass just as Ido. I have no bread to give you. "

Just then they saw, in the distance, a Wolf loping toward them, and thetrembling Ass begged the dog to protect him. 

"No, " said the dog. "People who live alone will have to fight alone. "And he went off and left the unfortunate Ass to his fate. 

_When your friends need you, go to their assistance. You do not knowwhen you may need them. _

THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN

The North Wind and the Sun had a discussion as to which was thestronger, and had the more power, and finally agreed that the firstto compel a traveler to remove his cloak should be the winner in thecontest between them. The North Wind began, by blowing a strong blast, thinking to tear away the traveler's cloak. But his breath was so cold, that he only succeeded in making the traveler wind his garment more andmore closely around him, until he resembled a sheath. 

Then came the Sun's turn, and he shed his beams on the poor man's headso that he loosened his cloak, and basked in their warmth, and finallyquite forgetful of the cold, he cast his cloak aside and took shelterfrom the heat under a tree that grew by the roadside. 

_Gentleness is often stronger than force. _

THE FOX AND THE LION

A Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by acertain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened thathe was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the secondtime, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first. On seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he wentup to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him. 

_Acquaintance softens prejudices. _

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

A Crow perishing with thirst saw a pitcher, and, hoping to find water, flew to it with great delight. When he reached it, he discovered to hisgrief that it contained so little water that he could not possibly getat it. He tried everything he could think of to reach the water, but allhis efforts were in vain. At last he collected as many stones as hecould carry, and dropped them one by one with his beak, into thepitcher, until he brought the water within his reach, and thus savedhis life. 

_Necessity is the mother of invention. _

THE ASS AND HIS SHADOW

A Traveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day beingintensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the traveler stoppedto rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, and as the traveler and theowner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between themas to which had the right to it. The owner maintained that he had letthe Ass only, and not his Shadow. The traveler asserted that he had, with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel proceededfrom words to blows, and while the men fought the Ass galloped off. 

_In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance. _

THE WOLF AND THE CRANE

A Wolf, having a bone stuck in his throat, hired a Crane for a large sumto put his head into his throat and draw out the bone. When the Cranehad extracted the bone, and demanded the promised payment, the Wolf, grinning and grinding his teeth, exclaimed: "Why, you have surelyalready a sufficient recompense in having been permitted to draw outyour head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf. "

_In serving the wicked, expect no reward, and be thankful if you escapeinjury for your pains. _

 [Illustration]

THE FOX AND THE CRANE

A fox invited a crane to supper, and provided nothing for hisentertainment but some soup made of pulse, and poured out into a broad, flat stone dish. The soup fell out of the long bill of the crane atevery mouthful, and his vexation at not being able to eat afforded thefox most intense amusement. 

The crane, in his turn, asked the fox to sup with him, and set beforeher a flagon, with a long, narrow mouth, so that he could easily inserthis neck, and enjoy its contents at his leisure; while the fox, unableeven to taste it, met with a fitting requital, after the fashion of herown hospitality. 

_Unfeeling jests and pranks at the expense of others beget unhappinessand discomfort at the expense of ourselves. _

THE CAT AND THE MONKEY

 [Illustration]

A monkey once found some chestnuts, which he put on the hot coals of afire to roast. He was puzzled, however, as to how he should get themagain without burning himself. Seeing a nice tabby cat in a corner, hethus accosted her: "Please come and sit with me awhile, for I amlonely. " Puss took a seat at the monkey's side, without thinking ofharm, when he jumped on her back. Seizing both her paws, he made herpull the nuts from the fire, despite her cries. 

_Study your acquaintances, and beware of those who, in the guise offriendship, would use you for their own selfish purposes. _

THE DANCING MONKEYS

A Prince had some Monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally great mimicsof men's actions, they showed themselves most apt pupils; and, whenarrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they danced as well as any ofthe guests. The spectacle was often repeated with great applause, tillon one occasion a guest, bent on mischief, took from his pocket ahandful of nuts, and threw them on the stage. The Monkeys at the sightof the nuts forgot their dancing, and became (as indeed they were)Monkeys instead of actors, and pulling off their masks, and tearingtheir robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancingspectacle thus came to an end, amidst the laughter and ridicule of theaudience. 

_Habits are not easily broken. _

THE HARES AND THE FROGS

The Hares, oppressed with a sense of their own exceeding timidity, and weary of the perpetual alarm to which they were exposed, withone accord determined to put an end to themselves and their troubles, by jumping from a lofty precipice into a deep lake below. As theyscampered off in a very numerous body to carry out their resolve, the Frogs lying on the banks of the lake heard the noise of theirfeet, and rushed helter-skelter to the deep water for safety. On seeingthe rapid disappearance of the Frogs, one of the Hares cried out to hiscompanions: "Stay, my friends, do not do as you intended; for you nowsee that other creatures who yet live are more timorous than ourselves. "

_Conquer fear. _

THE LION AND THE GNAT

A Gnat came to a Lion and said: "I do not the least fear you, nor areyou stronger than I am. You can scratch with your claws, and bite withyour teeth--so can a woman in her quarrels. Let us fight, and see whoshall conquer. " The Gnat, having sounded his horn, fastened himself uponthe Lion, and stung him on the nostrils and parts of the face devoid ofhair. The Lion, trying to crush him, tore himself with his claws, untilhe punished himself severely. The Gnat thus prevailed over the Lion, and, buzzing about in a song of triumph, flew away. But shortlyafterward he became entangled in the meshes of a cobweb, and was eatenby a spider. He greatly lamented his fate, saying: "Woe is me! that I, who can wage war successfully with the hugest beast, should perishmyself from this spider, the most inconsiderable of insects!"

_Esteem yourself neither highly nor lowly, but walk humbly in the faceof the Unknown. _

THE FROGS AND THE BULLS

Two frogs, sitting on the edge of a pond saw two Bulls fighting in ameadow close by. "Alas!" cried one of the frogs. "Those dreadful beastsare fighting. What will become of us!"

"There is no reason for fear, " said the other frog. "Their quarrels havenothing to do with us. Their lives are different from ours, and cannotaffect us. "

"Alas!" said the first frog, "you are wrong. One of them will certainlytriumph. The vanquished will take refuge from the victor in our marshes, and we shall be trampled under his feet. "

_When the strong fall out, the weak are the greatest sufferers fromtheir quarrels. _

THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES

A Lark had made her nest in the early Spring on the young green wheat. The brood had almost grown to their proper strength, and attained theuse of their wings and the full plumage of their feathers, when theowner of the field, overlooking his crop, now quite ripe, said, "Thetime is come when I must send to all my neighbors to help me with myharvest. " One of the young Larks heard his speech, and told it to hismother, asking her to what place they should move for safety. 

"There is no occasion to move yet, my son, " she replied; "the man whoonly sends to his friends to help him with his harvest is not really inearnest. " The owner of the field again came a few days later, and sawthe wheat shedding the grain from excess of ripeness, and said, "I willcome myself to-morrow with my laborers, and with as many reapers as Ican hire, and will get in the harvest. " The Lark on hearing these wordssaid to her brood, "It is time now to be off, my little ones, for theman is in earnest this time; he no longer trusts to his friends, butwill reap the field himself. "

_Self-help is the best help. _

BELLING THE CAT

The mice who lived in the old house met one day to discuss the means tobe used to get rid of a large, fierce black cat that had taken up herabode there, and made her living by hunting and eating them up one byone, so that their numbers were greatly reduced. Each mouse lived inconstant dread of being pounced upon and eaten. 

Even the youngest scarcely dared to scurry across the floor, its littleheart beating pit-a-pat, and they found it so hard to get time to lookfor food that they all grew thin. 

They lived in such dread that when they met, no one at first could thinkof anything to say. But at last a young mouse plucked up his spirits andsaid: "I will tell you what to do. Fasten a bell on the cat's neck. Asshe walks about the bell will ring, and we shall hear it and can tellwhere she is. "

This seemed so good a plan that the mice all chattered joyously, untilan old mouse asked quietly: "Who will go out and bell the cat?"

None of the mice dared; and they quickly realized that _what seems aneasy plan may be hard to carry out, and some things are easier said thandone_. 

 [Illustration]

A MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS

A miller and his son were driving their ass to a neighboring fair tosell him. They had not gone far when they met a troop of women collectedaround a well. "Look, " cried one, "did you ever see such fellows, to betrudging on foot when they might ride?" The old man, hearing this, madehis son mount, and continued to walk at his side. 

Presently they came to a group of old men in debate. "There, " said oneof them, "it proves what I was a-saying: what respect is shown to oldage in these days? Do you see that idle lad riding, while his old fatherhas to walk? Get down, you young scapegrace, and let the old man resthis weary limbs. " Upon this the old man made his son dismount, and gotup himself. 

Soon they met a company of women and children. "Why, you lazy oldfellow, " cried several tongues at once, "how can you ride upon thebeast, while that poor little lad can hardly keep pace by the side ofyou?" The miller immediately took up his son behind him. They had nowalmost reached the town. 

"Pray, honest friend, " said a citizen, "is that ass your own?" "Yes, "said the old man. "Oh, one would not have thought so, " said the other, "by the way you load him. Why, you two fellows are better able to carrythe poor beast than he you. " So they tied the legs of the ass together, and by the aid of a pole endeavored to carry him on their shoulders overa bridge. The sight brought the people in crowds to laugh at it; tillthe ass broke the cords that held him and fell into the river. Uponthis, the old man, vexed and ashamed, made his way home. 

_In trying to please everybody one is quite likely to please nobody. _

THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE

A Tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds ofher hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An Eagle hoveringnear, heard her lamentation, and demanded what reward she would givehim, if he would take her aloft, and float her in the air. "I will giveyou, " she said, "all the riches of the Red Sea. " "I will teach you tofly then, " said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons, he carriedher almost to the clouds, --when suddenly letting her go, she fell on alofty mountain, and dashed her shell to pieces. The Tortoise exclaimedin the moment of death: "I have deserved my present fate; for what had Ito do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on theearth?"

_If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined. _

THE PEACOCK AND JUNO

The Peacock made complaint to Juno that, while the small nightingalepleased every ear with his song, he no sooner opened his mouth than hebecame a laughing-stock of all who heard him. The Goddess, to consolehim, said, "But you far excel in beauty and in size. The splendor of theemerald shines in your neck, and you unfold a tail gorgeous with paintedplumage. " "But for what purpose have I, " said the bird, "this dumbbeauty so long as I am surpassed in song?" "The lot of each, " repliedJuno, "has been assigned by the will of the Fates--to thee, beauty; tothe eagle, strength; to the nightingale, song; to the raven, favorable, and to the crow, unfavorable auguries. These are all contented with theendowments allotted to them. "

_Contentment is happiness. _

THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE ASS

The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist eachother in the chase. Having secured a large booty, the Lion, on theirreturn from the forest, asked the Ass to allot his due portion to eachof the three partners in the treaty. The Ass carefully divided the spoilinto three equal shares, and modestly requested the two others to makethe first choice. The Lion, bursting into a great rage, devoured theAss. Then he requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division. The Fox accumulated all that they had killed into one large heap, andleft to himself the smallest possible morsel. The Lion said, "Who hastaught you, my very excellent fellow, the art of division? You areperfect to a fraction. " He replied, "I learnt it from the Ass, bywitnessing his fate. "

_Happy is the man who learns from the misfortunes of others. _

THE FATHER AND HIS SONS

A Father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling amongthemselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the evils ofdisunion and for this purpose he one day told them to bring him a bundleof sticks. When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands ofeach of them in succession, and ordered them to break it in pieces. Theyeach tried with all their strength and were not able to do it. He nextunclosed the faggot, and took the sticks separately, one by one, andagain put them into their hands, on which they broke them easily. Hethen addressed them in these words: "My sons, if you are of one mind, and unite to assist each other, you will be as this faggot, uninjured byall the attempts of your enemies; but _if you are divided amongyourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks_. "

 [Illustration]

THE DOVE AND THE ANT

An ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and, beingcarried away by the rush of the stream, was on the point of beingdrowned. A dove, sitting on a tree overhanging the water, plucked a leafand let it fall into the stream close to her. The ant, climbing on toit, floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterward a bird-catcher cameand stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the dove, whichsat in the branches. The ant, perceiving his design, stung him in thefoot. He suddenly threw down the twigs, and thereupon made the dove takewing. 

_The grateful heart will find opportunities to show gratitude. _

 [Illustration]

THE FOX AND THE CAT

A fox was boasting to a cat of its clever devices for escaping itsenemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks, " he said, "which contains ahundred ways of escaping my enemies. "

"I have only one, " said the cat, "but I can generally manage with that. "Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towardthem, and the cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid himself in theboughs. "This is my plan, " said the cat. "What are you going to do?"

The fox thought first of one way, then of another, and while he wasdebating, the hounds came nearer, and at last the fox in his confusionwas caught up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. 

_Better one carefully thought out plan of action than a hundred untriedideas. _

 [Illustration: THE FOX AND THE GRAPES]

 [Illustration: THE FOX AND THE CAT]

 [Illustration: THE FOX AND THE RAVEN]

 [Illustration: THE FOX AND THE CRANE]

 FROM DRAWINGS BY BESS BRUCE CLEVELAND

 [Illustration: THE HERON WHO WAS HARD TO PLEASE]

 [Illustration: THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER]

 [Illustration: THE EAGLE AND THE JACKDAW]

 [Illustration: THE DOVE AND THE ANT]

 FROM DRAWINGS BY BESS BRUCE CLEVELAND

 [Illustration]

THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER

The ants were employing a fine winter's day in drying grain collected inthe summer-time. A grasshopper, perishing from famine, passed by andearnestly begged for a little food. The ants inquired of him: "Why didyou not treasure up food during the summer?" He replied: "I had notleisure enough. I passed the days in singing. " They then said inderision: "If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer you mustdance supperless to bed in the winter. "

_In living, be guided much by the laws of nature, and not by the hope ofmercy. _

FABLES FROM INDIA

ADAPTED BY RAMASWAMI RAJU

THE GLOW-WORM AND THE DAW

A Jackdaw once ran up to a Glow-Worm and was about to seize him. "Wait amoment, good friend, " said the Worm; "and you shall hear something toyour advantage. "

"Ah! what is it?" said the Daw. 

"I am but one of the many Glow-Worms that live in this forest. If youwish to have them all, follow me, " said the Glow-Worm. 

"Certainly!" said the Daw. 

Then the Glow-Worm led him to a place in the wood where a fire had beenkindled by some woodmen, and pointing to the sparks flying about, said, "There you find the Glow-Worms warming themselves round a fire. When youhave done with them, I shall show you some more, at a distance from thisplace. "

The Daw darted at the sparks, and tried to swallow some of them; but hismouth being burned by the attempt, he ran away exclaiming, "Ah, theGlow-Worm is a dangerous little creature!"

Said the Glow-Worm with pride, "_Wickedness yields to wisdom!_"

THE FOX AND THE VILLAGERS

A Fox that had long been the dread of the village poultry yard was oneday found lying breathless in a field. The report went abroad that, after all, he had been caught and killed by some one. In a moment, everybody in the village came out to see the dead Fox. The villageCock, with all his Hens and Chicks, was also there to enjoy the sight. 

The Fox then got up, and shaking off his drowsiness, said, "I ate anumber of Hens and Chicks last night; hence I must have slumbered longerthan usual. "

The Cock counted his Hens and Chicks and found a number wanting. "Alas!"said he, "how is it I did not know of it?"

"My dear sir, " said the Fox, as he retreated to the wood, "it was lastnight I had a good meal on your Hens and Chicks, yet you did not know ofit. A moment ago they found me lying in the field, and you knew of it atonce. " _Ill news travels fast!_

THE FROG AND THE SNAKE

A Snake and a Frog were friends in a pond. The Snake taught the Frog tohiss, and the Frog taught the Snake to croak. The Snake would hide inthe reeds and croak. The Frogs would say, "Why, there is one of us, " andcome near. The Snake would then dart at them, and eat all he couldseize. The Frog would hide in the reeds and hiss. His kin would say, "Why, there is the Snake, " and keep off. 

After some time, the Frogs found out the trick of the Snake, and tookcare not to come near him. Thus the Snake got no Frogs to eat for a longtime; so he seized his friend to gobble him up. 

The Frog then said, though too late, "By becoming your friend, I lostthe company of my kindred, and am now losing my life. " _One's neck tofate one has to bend, when one would make so bad a friend!_

THE ASSEMBLY OF ANIMALS

Once there was a great assembly of the animals in a wood. The Lion said, "Look how great my valor! 'Tis this that makes me king of the woods. "

The Fox said, "Look, how deep my cunning! 'Tis this that feeds me sowell. "

The Peacock said, "Look, how bright my feathers! 'Tis this that makes methe wonder and admiration of the wood. "

The Elephant said, "Look, how long and powerful my tusks! there isnothing that can resist them. "

A Toad, who lived secure in the heart of a rock, close by, said, "'Tisthe Lion's valor that leads him to the herds, and gets him killed by thehunters. 'Tis the Fox's cunning that brings him to the furrier at last. 'Tis the plumes of the Peacock that men covet; hence his ruin. TheElephant is hunted for his tusks, and they are his bane. " _In the markof your vanity is your death!_

THE COCK AND HIS THREE HENS

A Cock, named Crimson Crest, was once strutting about with his threehens, Meek Love, Bright Wit, and Fine Feather. The hens, being in verygood spirits, said, "Ah, how we love you!"

"Why do you love me at all?" said Crimson Crest. 

"Because, " said they, "of the noble qualities that adorn your mind. "

"Are you sure, " said he, "you love me for the qualities that adorn mymind?"

"Yes, we are, " said the three with one voice. 

After having gone over some distance, Crimson Crest dropped down likeone dead. 

Meek Love wept, saying, "Ah, how he loved us!"

Bright Wit wept, saying, "Ah, how well he crowed!"

Fine Feather wept, saying, "Ah, what bright plumes he had!"

Crimson Crest some time after showed signs of life. 

Meek Love cried, "Oh, live and love us again!"

Bright Wit cried, "Oh, let us hear your crowing again!"

Fine Feather cried, "Oh, let us see your bright plumes again!"

Then Crimson Crest got up like one waking from a trance, and with ahearty laugh exclaimed, "Ladies, you fancied you all loved me for oneand the same reason; but now you see. _There is many a way to love asthey say!_"

THE BLACK DOG AND THE WHITE DOG

A Man in the East once went about saying, "I can put these two dogstogether, one of which is white, and the other black, as you see, andmake a gray dog of them; and turn the gray dog again to the black dogand the white dog, if people would pay for the fun. "

A Wag who heard these words removed the two dogs at night, and leftinstead a gray cur. The man rose up in the morning and complainedbitterly to the crowd, which came to see him, that some one had stolenhis two dogs. 

"No, " said the Wag, who was one of the crowd, "some one has simply savedyou the trouble of putting the two dogs together, and making a gray dogof them. So you must now perform the other part of your trick, and makethe black dog and the white dog out of this gray cur. "

The man quietly threw his wallet over his shoulders and walked away. TheWag and the crowd shouted--"The tongue hath no bone in it. It can turnas you twist it. " _It is one thing to say, and another thing to do!_

THE ELEPHANT AND THE APE

An Elephant named Grand Tusk and an Ape named Nimble were friends. 

Grand Tusk observed, "Behold, how big and powerful I am!"

Nimble cried in reply, "Behold, how agile and entertaining I am!"

Each was eager to know which was really superior to the other, and whichquality was the most esteemed by the wise. 

So they went to Dark Sage, an owl that lived in an old tower, to havetheir claims discussed and settled. 

Dark Sage said, "You must do as I bid, that I may form an opinion. "

"Agreed!" cried both. 

"Then, " said Dark Sage, "cross yonder river, and bring me the mangoes onthe great tree beyond. "

Off went Grand Tusk and Nimble, but when they came to the stream, whichwas flowing full, Nimble held back; but Grand Tusk took him up on hisback, and swam across in a very short time. Then they came to themango-tree, but it was very lofty and thick. Grand Tusk could neithertouch the fruit with his trunk, nor could he break the tree down togather the fruit. Up sprang Nimble, and in a trice let drop a wholebasketful of rich ripe mangoes. Grand Tusk gathered the fruit up intohis capacious mouth, and the two friends crossed the stream as before. 

"Now, " said Dark Sage, "which of you is the better? Grand Tusk crossedthe stream, and Nimble gathered the fruit. " _Each thing in its place isbest. _

THE CROW AND THE DAWN

A Crow that lived on a tree by a great city in the East thought that theday dawned because of his cawing. One day he said to himself, "Howimportant I am! But for my care, I confess, the world would get into amess. "

He had a mind to see how the world would fare if for it he did not care. So toward day-dawn he shut his eyes, and slept away without cawing. Thenhe awoke, and found the sun shining as bright as ever on the great city. 

He said, with great ill-humor, "I see how it happened. Some knave of mykind must have cawed and helped the sun up!"

_Error breeds error. _

THE LION AND THE GOAT

A Lion was eating up one after another the animals of a certain country. One day an old Goat said, "We must put a stop to this. I have a plan bywhich he may be sent away from this part of the country. "

"Pray act up to it at once, " said the other animals. 

The old Goat laid himself down in a cave on the roadside, with hisflowing beard and long curved horns. The Lion on his way to the villagesaw him, and stopped at the mouth of the cave. 

"So you have come, after all, " said the Goat. 

"What do you mean?" said the Lion. 

"Why, I have long been lying in this cave. I have eaten up one hundredElephants, a hundred Tigers, a thousand Wolves, and ninety-nine Lions. One more Lion has been wanting. I have waited long and patiently. Heavenhas, after all, been kind to me, " said the Goat, and shook his horns andhis beard, and made a start as if he were about to spring upon the Lion. 

The latter said to himself, "This animal looks like a Goat, but it doesnot talk like one. So it is very likely some wicked spirit in thisshape. Prudence often serves us better than valor, so for the present Ishall return to the wood, " and he turned back. 

The Goat rose up, and, advancing to the mouth of the cave, said, "Willyou come back to-morrow?"

"Never again, " said the Lion. 

"Do you think I shall be able to see you, at least, in the woodto-morrow?"

"Neither in the wood, nor in this neighborhood any more, " said the Lion, and running to the forest, soon left it with his kindred. 

The animals in the country, not hearing him roar any more, gatheredround the Goat, and said, "_The wisdom of one doth save a host. _"

THE SUNLING

In the good old days a Clown in the East, on a visit to a city kinsman, while at dinner, pointed to a burning candle and asked what it was. TheCity Man said, in jest, it was a sunling, or one of the children of thesun. 

The Clown thought that it was something rare; so he waited for anopportunity, and hid it in a chest of drawers close by. Soon the chestcaught fire, then the curtains by its side, then the room, then thewhole house. 

After the flames had been put down the City Man and the Clown went intothe burned building to see what remained. The Clown turned over theembers of the chest of drawers. The City Man asked what he was seekingfor. The Clown said, "It is in this chest that I hid the bright sunling;I wish to know if he has survived the flames. "

"Alas, " said the City Man, who now found out the cause of all themischief, "_never jest with fools!_"

THE MUSHROOM AND THE GOOSE

A Goose that was once cackling with great pride thought that a Mushroomwas gazing at it, and said, "You contemptible thing, why do you stare atme like that? You can never hope to meet me on terms of equality, canyou?"

"Certainly, madam, " said the Mushroom "and that very soon. "

This enraged the Goose more, so she said, "I would cut you up in pieceswith my bill but for the people who are close by, and who are so sillyas to care for you, " and went strutting away. Soon after the Goose andMushroom were served up in separate dishes, very near each other. 

"Ah, " said the Mushroom, "you see we have met after all, and soclosely. " _Those who have a common fate in the end had better befriends. _

THE FABLES OF PILPAY THE HINDU

Pilpay is thought to have been a Hindu who lived many centuries beforeJesus was born, and who wrote fables that have been translated intoalmost every language. His fables are older than those of Æsop. 

THE FOX AND THE HEN

A hungry Fox, spying a fine fat Hen, made up his mind to eat her. But ashe was about to spring upon her he heard a great noise, and looking up, saw a drum hanging upon a tree. As the wind blew, the branches beat uponthe drum. 

"Ah!" said he. "A thing that can make so much noise must certainly havemore flesh upon it than a miserable hen. "

So, allowing the Hen to escape, he sprang upon the drum; but when hetore the parchment head open he found that there was nothing inside. 

"Wretched being that I am, " said he. "I have missed a dainty meal fornothing at all. "

_By being too greedy we may miss everything that is worth having. _

THE THREE FISHES

Three Fishes lived in a pond. The first was wise, the second had alittle sense, and the third was foolish. A fisherman saw the fish, andwent home for his net in order that he might catch them. 

"I must get out of this pond at once, " said the Wise Fish. And he threwhimself into a little channel that led to a river. The others did nottrouble at all. 

Presently the Fisherman returned with his net, and stopped up thechannel leading to the river. The Second Fish wished he had followed theexample of the Wise Fish; but he soon thought of a plan to escape. Hefloated upside down on the surface of the water, and the fisherman, thinking he was dead, did not trouble about him any more. 

But the Foolish Fish was caught, and taken home to be eaten. 

_We should all endeavor to be wise. _

THE FALCON AND THE HEN

"How ungrateful you must be!" said a Falcon to a Hen. "You are fed withthe best of food, you have a snug bed provided for you at night, you areprotected from foxes, and yet, when the men who do all this for you wantto take hold of you, you run away and do not return their caresses. Now, I do not receive anything like so many benefits, and yet I allow the mento hold me, and I serve them when they go hunting in the field. "

"Ah!" said the Hen. "What you say is true. But, remember, you never seea hawk roasting in front of the fire, whereas you see hundreds of goodfat hens treated in that way. "

_Circumstances alter cases. _

THE KING WHO GREW KIND

A cruel King was riding out one day, when he saw a fox attack a hen. Butjust then a dog ran after the fox and bit his leg. The fox, however, lame as he was, managed to escape into his hole, and the dog ran off. Aman who saw him threw a stone at the dog, and cracked his head; but atthis moment a horse passing by ran against the man and trod on his foot. A minute later the horse's foot stepped upon a stone, and his ankle wasbroken. 

"Ah, " said the King. "This will be a lesson to me. I see thatmisfortunes always overtake those who ill-use others. "

And from that time the King became a kind and wise ruler of his people. 

_Punishment sooner or later overtakes those who wrong others. _

 [Illustration: MODERN FABLES]

THE HORSES' COUNCIL

ADAPTED FROM JOHN GAY

Once upon a time, a restless, dissatisfied horse persuaded all the otherhorses on the farm that they were oppressed by the man who owned them, and that they should rebel against him. 

So a meeting was called to which all the horses came, to argue thematter and see what should be done. One wanted one thing, one another, and at the last a young colt, who had not yet been trained sprang to thefront with tossing mane, and proud, arched neck, and eyes of fire, andthus addressed the listening throng of horses:

"What slaves we are! How low has fallen our race! Because our fatherslived in their service, must we too toil? Shall we submit ourselves toman, and spend our youth in servile tasks; with straining sinews dragthe ploughshare through the heavy soil, or draw the carrier's heavy loadin winter cold or beneath the sun of summer? See how strong we are, howweak man is! Shall we subdue our strength, and champ a bit, and servehis pride? Not so. Away with bit and bridle, rein and spur! We shall befree as air!"

He ceased, and with a step of conscious pride regained his place amongthe crowd, from which came snickers of applause and neighs of praise. 

Then from behind the crowd, with slow and stately movements, came anaged steed. He faced the turbulent crew, and with firm accents thatcompelled their silence, he began to speak:

"When I was young as you, " he said, "I too cried out for freedom fromthe daily toil that was my task. I soon had better thoughts. Man toilsfor us. For us he braves the summer heat, to store our food. If we lendhim our strength to plough the land, he sows and reaps the grain, thatwe may share it, as we share the toil. _Through all the world's historyit has been decreed each one must in some way aid the other's need. _"

He ceased, and left the place, and by his words the council quietlydispersed. 

THE OAK AND THE REED

ADAPTED FROM THE FRENCH OF LA FONTAINE

One day the Oak said to the Reed: "Nature has been indeed unkind to you. She has made you so weak that even the tiniest bird that flies bends youto earth beneath her little weight. The gentlest breeze that scarcelymoves the surface of the lake has power to bend your head. 

"My head, which rises like a mountain, is not content to stop theblazing rays of sunshine, but braves even the tempest; the wind that toyou seems to be a hurricane, to me is but a gentle sigh of wind ateventide. 

"If you had grown beneath the shelter of my leafy crown, with which Icover all the ground around, I would have saved you from the stormswhich make you suffer. Alas, you are most often found along the marshyborders of the kingdom of the winds. Nature, it seems to me, has been toyou unjust. "

"Your pity, " said the Reed, "comes from good nature, but have no carefor me. The winds for me hold far less danger than they hold for you. Ibend but do not break. You have till now resisted all their powerfulblows and never bent your back. But wait the end. "

Just as the gentle little Reed ended these words, a great north windrushed down from the horizon and flung itself on them with fury. TheReed bent low before it, but the tree defied the anger of the blast andheld its head upright. But the strong wind drew back, doubled its force, and with a furious rush tore up the oak tree by its mighty roots. 

The blast passed on and in the quiet that it left behind, the Reedraised up her head, and looking sadly at the giant tree whose statelyhead lay in the waters of the stream, she sadly said:

"_It is often well to bend before the storms that threaten us. _"

THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWLEDGE

ADAPTED FROM THE FRENCH OF LA FONTAINE

Two citizens lived beside each other in a town in France. The one wasrich and had a fine house, and a garden, horses, and carriages, andservants to wait on him. But he was stupid, for when he was a boy atschool he learned nothing. The other man was poor in gold and silver, but he was rich in knowledge, and full of wisdom, and he knew all thebeauty and the glory of the world. 

These two held constant arguments. The rich man said that nothing in theworld should be held in honor but riches, and that the wise and learnedshould bow to him because of all his wealth. 

"My friend, " he often said, "what use is it to read so many books? Theydo not bring you money! You have a small house, you wear the same coatin the winter that you do in summer. "

The wise man could not always answer back, he had too much to say, andoften kept silence. 

But a war broke out. All the town, in which the two men lived, wasbroken down, and both men had to leave it to seek their fortune inanother place. The rich man, who had lost his money, was now poor indeed, for he had nothing, and wandered through the world getting nothing butscorn for his ignorance. But the wise man was welcomed everywhere, andreceived with honor because of all the wisdom and the knowledge that hebrought with him. 

_Knowledge is power. _

THE TORRENT AND THE RIVER

ADAPTED FROM THE FRENCH OF LA FONTAINE

With great noise and much tumult a torrent fell down the mountain side. All fled before it; horror followed it; it made the country round ittremble. 

Only one traveler, who was flying from robbers that were followingafter him, dared to cross the stream, and put it as a barrier betweenhim and the men who were pursuing him. This gave him confidence althoughthe robbers still followed. So when he reached the edge of a broadriver, that seemed to him to be an image of sleep, it looked so soft andpeaceable and quiet, he rode his horse into the water to cross it. Ithad no high banks, but a little beach sloped from the meadow down tomeet the water, which looked so peaceful that it seemed as if a littlechild might cross it, to gather flowers on the other side, and so thetraveler thought it held no danger for him. 

But the quiet river was very deep, and though it made no noise, itscurrent ran so strongly that it lifted both the horse and rider on itswaves and carried them away, and drowned them. 

_Quiet people are stronger than the noisy. _

THE TOMTIT AND THE BEAR

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM

One summer day, as a Wolf and a Bear were walking together in a wood, they heard a bird singing most sweetly. "Brother, " said the Bear, "whatcan that bird be that is singing so sweetly?"

"Oh!" said the Wolf, "that is the king of the birds, we must take careto show him all respect. " (Now I should tell you that this bird wasafter all no other than the Tomtit. )

"If that is the case, " said the Bear, "I should like to see the royalpalace; so pray come along and show me it. "

"Gently, my friend, " said the Wolf, "we cannot see it just yet, we mustwait till the queen comes home. "

Soon afterward the queen came with food in her beak, and she and theking began to feed their young ones. 

"Now for it!" said the Bear; and was about to follow them. 

"Stop a little, Master Bruin, " said the Wolf, "we must wait now till theking and queen are gone again. " So they marked the hole where they hadseen the nest, and went away. But the Bear, being very eager to see thepalace, soon came back again, and, peeping into the nest, saw five orsix young birds lying at the bottom of it. 

"What nonsense!" said Bruin, "this is not a royal palace: I never sawsuch a filthy place in my life; and you are no royal children, youlittle base-born brats!"

As soon as the young tomtits heard this they were very angry, andscreamed out: "We are not base-born, you stupid bear! Our father andmother are honest, good sort of people; and, depend upon it, you shallsuffer for your rudeness!"

At this the Wolf and the Bear grew frightened, and ran away to theirdens. But the young tomtits kept crying and screaming; and when theirfather and mother came home and offered them food, they all said: "Wewill not touch a bit; no, not though we should die of hunger, till thatrascal Bruin has been punished for calling us base-born brats. "

"Make yourselves easy, my darlings, " said the old king, "you may be surehe shall get what he deserves. "

So he went out to the Bear's den, and cried out with a loud voice, "Bruin, the bear! thou hast been very rude to our lawful children. Weshall therefore make war against thee and thine, and shall never ceaseuntil thou hast been punished as thou so richly deservest. "

Now when the bear heard this, he called together the ox, the ass, thestag, the fox, and all the beasts of the earth. And the Tomtit alsocalled on his side all the birds of the air, both great and small, and avery large army of wasps, gnats, bees, and flies, and indeed many otherkinds of insects. 

As the time came near when the war was to begin, the Tomtit sent outspies to see who was the leader of the enemy's forces. So the gnat, whowas by far the best spy of them all, flew backward and forward in thewood where the enemy's troops were, and at last hid himself under a leafon a tree close by. 

The Bear, who was standing so near the tree that the gnat could hear allhe said, called to the fox and said, "Reynard, you are the cleverest ofall the beasts; therefore you shall be our leader and go before us tobattle; but we must first agree upon some signal, by which we may knowwhat you want us to do. "

"Behold, " said the fox, "I have a fine long, bushy tail, which is verylike a plume of red feathers, and gives me a very warlike air. Nowremember, when you see me raise up my tail, you may be sure that thebattle is won, and you have then nothing to do but to rush down upon theenemy with all your force. On the other hand, if I drop my tail, thebattle is lost, and you must run away as fast as you can. "

Now when the gnat had heard all this, she flew back to the Tomtit andtold him everything that had passed. 

At length the day came when the battle was to be fought. As soon as itwas light, the army of beasts came rushing forward with such a fearfulsound that the earth shook. King Tomtit, with his troops, came flyingalong also in warlike array, flapping and fluttering, and beating theair, so that it was quite frightful to hear; and both armies setthemselves in order of battle upon the field. 

Now the Tomtit gave orders to a troop of wasps that at the first onsetthey should march straight toward Captain Reynard and fixing themselvesabout his tail, should sting him with all their might. The wasps did asthey were told; and when Reynard felt the first sting, he started asideand shook one of his legs, but still held up his tail with wonderfulbravery. At the second sting he was forced to drop his tail for amoment; but when the third wasp had fixed itself, he could bear it nolonger, and clapped his tail between his legs, and ran away as fast ashe could. 

As soon as the beasts saw this, they thought of course all was lost, and raced across the country away to their holes. 

Then the king and queen of the birds flew back in joy to their children, and said: "Now, children, eat, drink, and be merry, for we have won thebattle!"

But the young birds said: "No; not till Bruin has humbly begged ourpardon for calling us base-born. "

So the king flew back to the bear's den, and cried out:

"Thou villain bear! come forthwith to my nest, and humbly ask mychildren to forgive the insult thou hast offered them. If thou wilt notdo this, every bone in thy body shall be broken. "

Then the bear was forced to crawl out of his den very sulkily, and dowhat the king bade him; and after that the young birds sat downtogether, and ate, and drank, and made merry till midnight. 

WHY JIMMY SKUNK WEARS STRIPES[K]

BY THORNTON W. BURGESS

Jimmy Skunk, as everybody knows, wears a striped suit, a suit of blackand white. There was a time, long, long ago, when all the Skunk familywore black. Very handsome their coats were, too, a beautiful glossyblack. They were very, very proud of them, and took the greatest care ofthem, brushing them carefully ever so many times a day. 

There was a Jimmy Skunk then, just as there is now, and he was head ofall the Skunk family. Now, this Jimmy Skunk was very proud, and thoughthimself very much of a gentleman. He was very independent, and cared forno one. Like a great many other independent people, he did not alwaysconsider the rights of others. Indeed, it was hinted in the wood and onthe Green Meadows that not all of Jimmy Skunk's doings would bear thelight of day. It was openly said that he was altogether too fond ofprowling about at night, but no one could prove that he was responsiblefor mischief done in the night, for no one saw him. You see his coat wasso black that in the darkness of the night it was not visible at all. 

Now, about this time of which I am telling you, Mrs. Ruffed Grouse madea nest at the foot of the Great Pine, and in it she laid fifteenbeautiful buff eggs. Mrs. Grouse was very happy, very happy indeed, andall the little meadow folks who knew of her happiness were happy, too, for they all loved shy, demure, little Mrs. Grouse. Every morning whenPeter Rabbit trotted down the Lone Little Path through the wood past theGreat Pine he would stop for a few minutes to chat with Mrs. Grouse. Happy Jack Squirrel would bring her the news every afternoon. The MerryLittle Breezes of Old Mother West Wind would run up a dozen times a dayto see how she was getting along. 

One morning Peter Rabbit, coming down the Lone Little Path for his usualmorning call, found a terrible state of affairs. Poor little Mrs. Grousewas heartbroken. All about the foot of the Great Pine lay the emptyshells of their beautiful eggs. They had been broken and scattered thisway and that. 

"How did it happen?" asked Peter Rabbit. 

"I don't know, " sobbed poor little Mrs. Grouse. "In the night when I wasfast asleep something pounced upon me. I managed to get away and fly upin the top of the Great Pine. In the morning I found all my eggs broken, just as you see them here. "

Peter Rabbit looked the ground over very carefully. He hunted aroundbehind the Great Pine, he looked under the bushes, he studied the groundwith a very wise air. Then he hopped off down the Lone Little Path tothe Green Meadows. He stopped at the house of Johnny Chuck. 

"What makes your eyes so big and round?" asked Johnny Chuck. PeterRabbit came very close so as to whisper in Johnny Chuck's ear, and toldhim all that he had seen. Together they went to Jimmy Skunk's house. Jimmy Skunk was in bed. He was very sleepy and very cross when he cameto the door. Peter Rabbit told him what he had seen. 

"Too bad! Too bad!" said Jimmy Skunk, and yawned sleepily. 

"Won't you join us in trying to find out who did it?" asked JohnnyChuck. 

Jimmy Skunk said he would be delighted to come, but that he had someother business that morning and he would join them in the afternoon. Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck went on. Pretty soon they met the MerryLittle Breezes and told them the dreadful story. 

"What shall we do?" asked Johnny Chuck. 

"We'll hurry over, and tell Old Dame Nature, " cried the Merry LittleBreezes, "and ask her what to do. "

So away flew the Merry Little Breezes to Old Dame Nature and told herall the dreadful story. Old Dame Nature listened very attentively. Thenshe sent the Merry Little Breezes to all the little meadow folks to telleveryone to be at the Great Pine that afternoon. Now, whatever Old DameNature commanded, all the little meadow folks were obliged to do. Theydid not dare to disobey her. 

Promptly at 4 o'clock that afternoon all the little meadow folks weregathered around the foot of the Great Pine. Brokenhearted little Mrs. Ruffed Grouse sat beside her empty nest, with all the broken shellsabout her. 

Reddy Fox, Peter Rabbit, Johnny Chuck, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Jerry Muskrat, Hooty the Owl, Bobby Coon, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow, Grandfather Frog, Mr. Toad, Spotty the Turtle, the Merry Little Breezes, all were there. Last of all came Jimmy Skunk. Very handsome he looked inhis shining black coat, and very sorry he appeared that such a dreadfulthing should have happened. He told Mrs. Grouse how badly he felt, andhe loudly demanded that the culprit should be run down without delay andseverely punished. 

Old Dame Nature has the most smiling face in the world, but this time itwas very, very grave indeed. First she asked little Mrs. Grouse to tellher story all over again that all might hear. Then each in turn wasasked to tell where he had been the night before. Johnny Chuck, HappyJack Squirrel, Striped Chipmunk, Sammy Jay, and Blacky the Crow had goneto bed when Mr. Sun went down behind the Purple Hills. Jerry Muskrat, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Grandfather Frog, and Spotty the Turtlehad been down in Farmer Brown's corn-field. Hooty the Owl had beenhunting in the lower end of the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit had beendown in the Berry Patch. Mr. Toad had been under the big piece of barkwhich he called a house. Old Dame Nature called on Jimmy Skunk last ofall. Jimmy protested that he had been very, very tired and had gone tobed very early indeed, and had slept the whole night through. 

Then Old Dame Nature asked Peter Rabbit what he had found among theshells that morning. 

Peter Rabbit hopped out and laid three long black hairs before Old DameNature. "These, " said Peter Rabbit, "are what I found among the eggshells. "

Then Old Dame Nature called Johnny Chuck. "Tell us, Johnny Chuck, " saidshe, "what you saw when you called at Jimmy Skunk's house this morning. "

"I saw Jimmy Skunk, " said Johnny Chuck, "and Jimmy seemed very, verysleepy. It seemed to me that his whiskers were yellow. "

"That will do, " said Old Dame Nature, and she called Old Mother WestWind. 

"What time did you come down on the Green Meadows this morning?" askedOld Dame Nature. 

"Just at the break of day, " said Old Mother West Wind, "as Mr. Sun wascoming up from behind the Purple Hills. "

"And whom did you see so early in the morning?" asked old Dame Nature. 

"I saw Bobby Coon going home from old Farmer Brown's corn-field, " saidOld Mother West Wind. "I saw Hooty the Owl coming back from the lowerend of the Green Meadows. I saw Peter Rabbit down in the berry patch. Last of all, I saw something like a black shadow coming down the LoneLittle Path toward the house of Jimmy Skunk. "

Everyone was looking very hard at Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy began to look veryunhappy and very uneasy. 

"Who wears a black coat?" asked Dame Nature. 

"Jimmy Skunk!" shouted all the little meadow folks. 

"What might make whiskers yellow?" asked Old Dame Nature. 

No one seemed to know at first. Then Peter Rabbit spoke up. "It might bethe yolk of an egg, " said Peter Rabbit. 

"Who are likely to be sleepy on a bright sunny morning?" asked Old DameNature. 

"People who have been out all night, " said Johnny Chuck, who himselfalways goes to bed with the sun. 

"Jimmy Skunk, " said Old Dame Nature, and her voice was very stern, verystern indeed, and her face was very grave. "Jimmy Skunk, I accuse you ofhaving broken and eaten the eggs of Mrs. Grouse. What have you to sayfor yourself?"

Jimmy Skunk hung his head. He hadn't a word to say. He just wanted tosneak away by himself. 

"Jimmy Skunk, " said Old Dame Nature, "because your handsome black coat, of which you are so proud, has made it possible for you to move about inthe night without being seen, and because we can no longer trust youupon your honor, henceforth you and your descendants shall wear astriped coat which is the sign that you cannot be trusted. Your coathereafter shall be black and white, that will always be visible. "

And this is why to this day Jimmy Skunk wears a striped suit of blackand white. 

 [K] From "Old Mother West Wind, " by Thornton W. Burgess; used by permission of the author and publishers, Little, Brown & Co. 

 [Illustration: HOW CATS CAME TO PURR]

BY JOHN BENNETT

A Boy having a Pet Cat which he Wished to Feed, Said to Her, "Come, Cat, Drink this Dish of Cream; it will Keep your Fur as Soft as Silk, andMake you Purr like a Coffee-Mill. "

He had no sooner said this than the Cat, with a Great Glare of her GreenEyes, bristled her Tail like a Gun-Swab and went over the Back Fence, head first--pop!--as Mad as a Wet Hen. 

And this is how she came to do so:

The story is an old one--very, very old. It may be Persian; it may benot: that is of very little moment. It is so old that if all the ninelives of all the cats that have ever lived in the world were set uptogether in a line, the other end of it would just reach back to thetime when this occurred. 

 [Illustration: "THE CAT THAT GROUND THE COFFEE IN THE KING'S KITCHEN"]

And this is the story:

Many, many years ago, in a country which was quite as far from anywhereelse as the entire distance thither and back, there was a huge cat thatground the coffee in the King's kitchen, and otherwise assisted with themeals. 

This cat was, in truth, the actual and very father of all subsequentcats, and his name was Sooty Will, for his hair was as black as a nightin a coal-hole. He was ninety years old, and his mustaches were likewhisk-brooms. But the most singular thing about him was that in all hislife he had never once purred nor humped up his back, although hismaster often stroked him. The fact was that he never had learned topurr, nor had any reason, so far as he knew, for humping up his back. And being the father of all the cats, there was no one to tell him how. It remained for him to acquire a reason, and from his example to devisea habit which cats have followed from that time forth, and no doubt willforever follow. 

The King of the country had long been at war with one of his neighbors, but one morning he sent back a messenger to say that he had beaten hisfoeman at last, and that he was coming home for an early breakfast ashungry as three bears. "Have batter-cakes and coffee, " he directed, "hot, and plenty of 'em!"

At that the turnspits capered and yelped with glee, for batter-cakes andcoffee are not cooked upon spits, and so they were free to sally forthinto the city streets and watch the King's homecoming in a grand parade. 

But the cat sat down on his tail in the corner and looked cross. "Scat!"said he, with an angry caterwaul. "It is not fair that you should go andthat I should not. "

"Oh, yes, it is, " said the gleeful turnspits; "turn and turn about isfair play: you saw the rat that was killed in the parlor. "

"Turn about fair play, indeed!" cried the cat. "Then all of you get toyour spits; I am sure that is turn about!"

"Nay, " said the turnspits, wagging their tails and laughing. "That isover and over again, which is not fair play. 'Tis the coffee-mill thatis turn and turn about. So turn about to your mill, Sooty Will; we areoff to see the King!"

 [Illustration: "TURNING HAND-SPRINGS, HEAD-SPRINGS, AND HEEL-SPRINGS AS THEY WENT"]

With that they pranced out into the court-yard, turning hand-springs, head-springs, and heel-springs as they went, and, after giving threehearty and vociferous cheers in a grand chorus at the bottom of thegarden, went capering away for their holiday. 

The cat spat at their vanishing heels, sat down on his tail in thechimney-corner, and was very glum indeed. 

Just then the cook looked in from the pantry. "Hullo!" he said gruffly. "Come, hurry up the coffee!" That was the way he always gave his orders. 

 [Illustration: "'HULLO!' HE SAID GRUFFLY. 'COME, HURRY UP THE COFFEE!'"]

The black cat's whiskers bristled. He turned to the mill with a fiercefrown, his long tail going to and fro like that of a tiger in its lair;for Sooty Will had a temper like hot gunpowder, that was apt to go off_sizz_, _whizz_, _bang_! and no one to save the pieces. Yet, at leastwhile the cook was by, he turned the mill furiously, as if with a rightgood-will. 

Meantime, out in the city a glorious day came on. The sun went buzzingup the pink-and-yellow sky with a sound like that of a walking-doll'sworks, or of a big Dutch clock behind a door; banners waved from thecastled heights, and bugles sang from every tower; the city gates rangwith the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd. Up from cellars, down fromlofts, off work-benches, and out at the doors of their masters' shops, dodging the thwacks of their masters' straps, "pop-popping" like corksfrom the necks of so many bottles, came apprentices, shop-boys, knavesand scullions, crying: "God save the King! Hurrah! Hurrah! Masters andwork may go to Rome; our tasks shall wait on our own sweet wills; 't isholiday when the King comes home. God save the King! Hurrah!"

Then came the procession. There were first three regiments oftrumpeters, all blowing different tunes; then fifteen regiments ofmounted infantry on coal-black horses, forty squadrons ofgreen-and-blue dragoons, and a thousand drummers and fifersin scarlet and blue and gold, making a thundering din with theirrootle-te-tootle-te-tootle-te-rootle; and pretty well up to the front inthe ranks was the King himself, bowing and smiling to the populace, withhis hand on his breast; and after him the army, all in shining armor, just enough pounded to be picturesque, miles on miles of splendid men, all bearing the trophies of glorious war, and armed with lances and bowsand arrows, falchions, morgensterns, martels-de-fer, and other choiceimplements of justifiable homicide, and the reverse, such as hautboysand sackbuts and accordions and dudelsacks and Scotch bagpipes--aglorious sight!

 [Illustration: A PART OF THE GRAND PROCESSION]

And, as has been said before, the city gates rang with the cheers of thecrowd, crimson banners waved over the city's pinnacled summits, andbugles blew, trumpets brayed, and drums beat until it seemed that wilduproar and rich display had reached its high millennium. 

The black cat turned the coffee-mill. "My oh! my oh!" he said. "Itcertainly is not fair that those bench-legged turnspits with feet likeso much leather should see the King marching home in his glory, while I, who go shod, as it were, in velvet, should hear only the sound throughthe scullery windows. It is not fair. It is no doubt true that "The catmay mew, and the dog shall have his day, " but I have as much right to myday as he; and has it not been said from immemorial time that 'A cat maylook at a king'? Indeed it has, quite as much as that the dog may havehis day. I will not stand it; it is not fair. A cat may look at a king;and if any cat may look at a king, why, I am the cat who may. There areno other cats in the world; I am the only one. Poh! the cook may shouttill his breath gives out, he cannot frighten me; for once I am going tohave my fling!"

So he forthwith swallowed the coffee-mill, box, handle, drawer-knobs, coffee-well, and all, and was off to see the King. 

So far, so good. But, ah! the sad and undeniable truth, that brightestjoys too soon must end! Triumphs cannot last forever, even in a land oflegends. There comes a reckoning. 

When the procession was past and gone, as all processions pass and go, vanishing down the shores of forgetfulness; when barons, marquises, dukes, and dons were gone, with their pennants and banners; when thelast lancers had gone prancing past and were lost to sight down thecircuitous avenue, Sooty Will, with drooping tail, stood by the palacegate, dejected. He was sour and silent and glum. Indeed, who would notbe, with a coffee-mill on his conscience? To own up to the entire truth, the cat was feeling decidedly unwell; when suddenly the cook poppedhis head in at the scullery entry, crying, "How now, how now, youvagabonds! The war is done, but the breakfast is not. Hurry up, scurryup, scamper and trot! The cakes are all cooked and are piping hot! Thenwhy is the coffee so slow?" The King was in the dining-hall, indressing-gown and slippers, irately calling for his breakfast!

 [Illustration: "HE FORTHWITH SWALLOWED THE COFFEE-MILL"]

The shamefaced, guilty cat ran hastily down the scullery stairs and hidunder the refrigerator, with such a deep inward sensation of remorsethat he dared not look the kind cook in the face. It now really seemedto him as if everything had gone wrong with the world, especially hisown insides. This any one will readily believe who has ever swallowed acoffee-mill. He began to weep copiously. 

 [Illustration: "AND WAS OFF TO SEE THE KING"]

The cook came into the kitchen. "Where is the coffee?" he said; then, catching sight of the secluded cat, he stooped, crying, "Where is thecoffee?"

The cat sobbed audibly. "Some one must have come into the kitchen whileI ran out to look at the King!" he gasped, for there seemed to him noway out of the scrape but by telling a plausible untruth. "Some one musthave come into the kitchen and stolen it!" And with that, choking uponthe handle of the mill, which projected into his throat, he burst intoinarticulate sobs. 

 [Illustration: "THE CAT WAS FEELING DECIDEDLY UNWELL"]

The cook, who was, in truth, a very kind-hearted man, sought to reassurethe poor cat. "There; it is unfortunate, very; but do not weep; thievesthrive in kings' houses!" he said, and, stooping, he began to stroke thedrooping cat's back to show that he held the weeping creature blameless. 

Sooty Will's heart leaped into his throat. 

 [Illustration: "IT SEEMED AS IF EVERYTHING HAD GONE WRONG"]

"Oh, oh!" he half gasped, "oh, oh! If he rubs his great hand down myback he will feel the corners of the coffee-mill through my ribs as sureas fate! Oh, oh! I am a gone cat!" And with that, in an agony ofapprehension lest his guilt and his falsehood be thus presentlydetected, he humped up his back as high in the air as he could, so thatthe corners of the mill might not make bumps in his sides and that themill might thus remain undiscovered. 

 [Illustration: "'WHERE IS THE COFFEE?' SAID THE COOK"]

But, alas! he forgot that coffee-mills turn. As he humped up his backto cover his guilt, the coffee-mill inside rolled over, and, as itrolled, began to grind--_rr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr!_

"Oh, oh! you have swallowed the mill!" cried the cook. 

 [Illustration "OUT STEPPED THE GENIUS THAT LIVED UNDER THE GREAT OVENS"]

"No, no, " cried the cat; "I was only thinking aloud. "

At that out stepped the Genius that Lived under the Great Ovens, and, with his finger pointed at the cat, said in a frightful voice, huskywith wood-ashes: "Miserable and pusillanimous beast! By telling afalsehood to cover a wrong you have only made bad matters worse. Forbetraying man's kindness to cover your shame, a curse shall be upon youand all your kind until the end of the world. Whenever men stroke you inkindness, remembrance of your guilt shall make you hump up your backwith shame, as you did to avoid being found out; and in order that thereason for this curse shall never be forgotten, whenever man is kind toa cat the sound of the grinding of a coffee-mill inside shallperpetually remind him of your guilt and shame!"

With that the Genius vanished in a cloud of smoke. 

And it was even as he said. From that day Sooty Will could never abidehaving his back stroked without humping it up to conceal the mill withinhim; and never did he hump up his back but the coffee-mill began slowlyto grind, _rr-rr-rr-rr!_ inside him; so that, even in the prime of life, before his declining days had come, being seized upon by a great remorsefor these things which might never be amended, he retired to a home foraged and reputable cats, and there, so far as the records reveal, livedthe remainder of his days in charity and repentance. 

But the curse has come down even to the present day, as the Genius thatLived under the Great Ovens said, and still maintains, though cats haveprobably forgotten the facts, and so, when stroked, hump up their backsand purr as if these actions were a matter of pride instead of being ablot upon their family record. 

 [Illustration: "HE RETIRED TO A HOME FOR AGED AND REPUTABLE CATS"]

 [Illustration: STORIES FROM SCANDINAVIA]

THE GREEDY CAT

Once on a time there was a man who had a Cat, and she was so awfullybig, and such a beast to eat, he couldn't keep her any longer. So shewas to go down to the river with a stone round her neck, but before shestarted she was to have a meal of meat. So the goody set before her abowl of porridge and a little trough of fat. That the creature crammedinto her, and ran off and jumped through the window. Outside stood thegoodman by the barn-door threshing. 

"Good day, goodman, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, pussy, " said the goodman; "have you had any food to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge and a trough of fat--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so she took the goodman and gobbled him up. 

When she had done that, she went into the byre, and there sat the goodymilking. 

"Good day, goody, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, pussy, " said the goody; "are you here, and have you eaten upyour food yet?"

"Oh, I've eaten a little to-day, but I'm 'most fasting, " said pussy; "itwas only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so she took the goody andgobbled her up. 

"Good day, you cow at the manger, " said the Cat to Daisy the cow. 

"Good day, pussy, " said the bell-cow; "have you had any food to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "I've onlyhad a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and thegoody--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so she took thecow and gobbled her up. 

Then off she set into the home-field, and there stood a man picking upleaves. 

"Good day, you leaf-picker in the field, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?" said theleaf-picker. 

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and thegoody, and Daisy the cow--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too. "So she took the leaf-picker and gobbled him up. 

Then she came to a heap of stones, and there stood a stoat and peepedout. 

"Good day, Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and thegoody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker--and, now I think of it, I'lltake you, too. " So she took the stoat and gobbled him up. 

When she had gone a bit farther, she came to a hazel-brake, and theresat a squirrel gathering nuts. 

"Good day, Sir Squirrel of the Brake, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and thegoody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat--and, now I thinkof it, I'll take you, too. " So she took the squirrel and gobbled him up. 

When she had gone a little farther, she saw Reynard the fox, who wasprowling about by the woodside. 

"Good day, Reynard Slyboots, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too. " So she tookReynard and gobbled him up. 

When she had gone a little farther she met Long Ears, the hare. 

"Good day, Mr. Hopper the hare, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too. " Soshe took the hare and gobbled him up. 

When she had gone a bit farther she met a wolf. 

"Good day, you Greedy Graylegs, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare--and now I think of it, I may aswell take you, too. " So she took and gobbled up Graylegs, too. 

So she went on into the wood, and when she had gone far and farther thanfar, o'er hill and dale, she met a bear-cub. 

"Good day, you bare-breeched bear, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy, " said the bear-cub; "have you had anything to eatto-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf--and, now I think ofit, I may as well take you, too. " And so she took the bear-cub andgobbled him up. 

When the Cat had gone a bit farther, she met a she-bear, who was tearingaway at a stump till the splinters flew, so angry was she at having losther cub. 

"Good day, you Mrs. Bruin, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "itwas only a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and the squirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and thebear-cub--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so she tookMrs. Bruin and gobbled her up, too. 

When the Cat got still farther on, she met Baron Bruin himself. 

"Good day, you Baron Bruin, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy, " said Bruin; "have you had anything to eatto-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, andthe she-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so shetook Bruin and ate him up, too. 

So the Cat went on and on, and farther than far, till she came to theabodes of men again, and there she met a bridal train on the road. 

"Good day, you bridal train on the king's highway, " said she. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, andthe she-bear, and the he-bear--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too, " and so she rushed at them, and gobbled up both the bride andbridegroom, and the whole train, with the cook and the fiddler, and thehorses and all. 

When she had gone still farther, she came to a church, and there she meta funeral. 

"Good day, you funeral train, " said she. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, andthe she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and thewhole train--and, now, I don't mind if I take you, too, " and so she fellon the funeral train and gobbled up both the body and the bearers. 

Now when the Cat had got the body in her, she was taken up to the sky, and when she had gone a long, long way, she met the moon. 

"Good day, Mrs. Moon, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, andthe she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and thewhole train, and the funeral train--and, now I think of it, I don't mindif I take you, too, " and so she seized hold of the moon, and gobbled herup, both new and full. 

 [Illustration: "'THAT WE'LL FIGHT ABOUT, ' SAID THE BILLY GOAT"]

So the Cat went a long way still, and then she met the sun. 

"Good day, you sun in heaven. "

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy, " said the sun; "have you had anything to eatto-day?"

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting, " said the Cat; "it wasonly a bowl of porridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, andthe goody, and the cow, and the leaf-picker, and the stoat, and thesquirrel, and the fox, and the hare, and the wolf, and the bear-cub, andthe she-bear, and the he-bear, and the bride and bridegroom, and thewhole train, and the funeral train, and the moon--and, now I think ofit, I don't mind if I take you, too, " and so she rushed at the sun inheaven and gobbled him up. 

So the Cat went far and farther than far, till she came to a bridge, andon it she met a big billy-goat. 

"Good day, you Billy-goat on Broad-bridge, " said the Cat. 

"Good day, Mrs. Pussy; have you had anything to eat to-day?" said thebilly-goat. 

"Oh, I've had a little, but I'm 'most fasting; I've only had a bowl ofporridge, and a trough of fat, and the goodman, and the goody in thebyre, and Daisy the cow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in thehome-field, and Mr. Stoat of Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, and Mr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs thewolf, and Bare-breech the bear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, anda bridal train on the king's highway, and a funeral at the church, andLady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven--and, now I think of it, I'll take you, too. "

"That we'll fight about, " said the billy-goat, and butted at the Cattill she fell right over the bridge into the river, and there she burst. 

So they all crept out one after the other, and went about theirbusiness, and were just as good as ever, all that the Cat had gobbledup. The goodman of the house, and the goody in the byre, and Daisy thecow at the manger, and the leaf-picker in the home-field, and Mr. Stoatof Stoneheap, and Sir Squirrel of the Brake, and Reynard Slyboots, andMr. Hopper the hare, and Greedy Graylegs the wolf, and Bare-breech thebear-cub, and Mrs. Bruin, and Baron Bruin, and the bridal train on thehighway, and the funeral train at the church, and Lady Moon in the sky, and Lord Sun in heaven. 

GUDBRAND ON THE HILLSIDE

There was once upon a time a man whose name was Gudbrand. He had a farmwhich lay far away up on the side of a hill, and therefore they calledhim Gudbrand on the hillside. 

He and his wife lived so happily together, and agreed so well, thatwhatever the man did the wife thought it so well done that no one coulddo it better. No matter what he did, she thought it was always the rightthing. 

They lived on their own farm, and had a hundred dollars at the bottom oftheir chest and two cows in their cow-shed. One day the woman said toGudbrand:

"I think we ought to go to town with one of the cows and sell it, sothat we may have some ready money by us. We are pretty well off, andought to have a few shillings in our pocket like other people. Thehundred dollars in the chest we mustn't touch, but I can't see what wewant with more than one cow, and it will be much better for us, as Ishall have only one to look after instead of the two I have now to mindand feed. "

Yes, Gudbrand thought, that was well and sensibly spoken. He took thecow at once and went to town to sell it; but when he got there no onewould buy the cow. 

"Ah, well!" thought Gudbrand, "I may as well take the cow home again. Iknow I have both stall and food for it, and the way home is no longerthan it was here. " So he strolled homeward again with the cow. 

When he had got a bit on the way he met a man who had a horse to sell, and Gudbrand thought it was better to have a horse than a cow, and so hechanged the cow for the horse. 

When he had gone a bit farther he met a man who was driving a fat pigbefore him, and then he thought it would be better to have a fat pigthan a horse, and so he changed with the man. 

He now went a bit farther, and then he met a man with a goat, and so hethought it was surely better to have a goat than a pig, and changed withthe man who had the goat. 

Then he went a long way, till he met a man who had a sheep. He changedwith him, for he thought it was always better to have a sheep than agoat. 

When he had got a bit farther he met a man with a goose, and so hechanged the sheep for the goose. And when he had gone a long, long wayhe met a man with a cock. He changed the goose with him, for he thoughtthis wise: "It is surely better to have a cock than a goose. "

He walked on till late in the day, when he began to feel hungry. So hesold the cock for sixpence and bought some food for himself. "For it isalways better to keep body and soul together than to have a cock, "thought Gudbrand. 

He then set off again homeward till he came to his neighbor's farm, andthere he went in. 

"How did you get on in town?" asked the people. 

"Oh, only so-so, " said the man. "I can't boast of my luck, nor can Igrumble at it either. " And then he told them how it had gone with himfrom first to last. 

"Well, you'll have a fine reception when you get home to your wife, "said the man. "Heaven help you! I should not like to be in your place. "

"I think I might have fared much worse, " said Gudbrand; "but whether Ihave fared well or ill, I have such a kind wife that she never saysanything, no matter what I do. "

"Aye, so you say; but you won't get me to believe it, " said theneighbor. 

"Shall we have a wager on it?" said Gudbrand. "I have a hundred dollarsin my chest at home. Will you lay the same?"

So they made the wager and Gudbrand remained there till the evening, when it began to get dark, and then they went together to the farm. 

The neighbor was to remain outside the door and listen while Gudbrandwent in to his wife. 

"Good evening!" said Gudbrand when he came in. 

"Good evening!" said the wife. "Heaven be praised you are back again. "

"Yes, here I am!" said the man. And then the wife asked him how he hadgot on in town. 

"Oh, so-so, " answered Gudbrand. "Not much to brag of. When I came totown no one would buy the cow, so I changed it for a horse. "

"Oh, I'm so glad of that, " said the woman. "We are pretty well off andwe ought to drive to church like other people, and when we can afford tokeep a horse I don't see why we should not have one. Run out, children, and put the horse in the stable. "

"Well, I haven't got the horse, after all, " said Gudbrand; "for when Ihad got a bit on the way I changed it for a pig. "

"Dear me!" cried the woman, "that's the very thing I should have donemyself. I'm so glad of that, for now we can have some bacon in the houseand something to offer people when they come to see us. What do we wantwith a horse? People would only say we had become so grand that we couldno longer walk to church. Run out, children, and let the pig in. "

"But I haven't got the pig either, " said Gudbrand, "for when I had got abit farther on the road I changed it into a milch goat. "

"Dear! dear! how well you manage everything!" cried the wife. "When Ireally come to think of it, what do I want with the pig? People wouldonly say: 'Over yonder they eat up everything they have. ' No, now I havea goat I can have both milk and cheese and keep the goat into thebargain. Let in the goat, children. "

"But I haven't got the goat either, " said Gudbrand. "When I got a bit onthe way I changed the goat and got a fine sheep for it. "

"Well!" returned the woman, "you do everything just as I should wishit--just as if I had been there myself. What do we want with a goat? Ishould have to climb up hill and down dale to get it home at night. No, when I have a sheep I can have wool and clothes in the house and food aswell. Run out, children, and let in the sheep. "

"But I haven't got the sheep any longer, " said Gudbrand, "for when I hadgot a bit on the way I changed it for a goose. "

"Well, thank you for that!" said the woman; "and many thanks, too! Whatdo I want with a sheep? I have neither wheel nor spindle, and I do notcare either to toil and drudge making clothes; we can buy clothes now asbefore. Now I can have goose-fat, which I have so long been wishing for, and some feathers to stuff that little pillow of mine. Run, children, and let in the goose. "

"Well, I haven't got the goose either, " said Gudbrand. "When I had got abit farther on the way I changed it for a cock. "

"Well, I don't know how you can think of it all!" cried the woman. "It'sjust as if I had done it all myself. A cock! Why, it's just the same asif you'd bought an eight-day clock, for every morning the cock will crowat four, so we can be up in good time. What do we want with a goose? Ican't make goose-fat and I can easily fill my pillow with some softgrass. Run, children, and let in the cock. "

"But I haven't the cock either, " said Gudbrand; "for when I had got abit farther I became so terribly hungry I had to sell the cock forsixpence and get some food to keep body and soul together. "

"Heaven be praised you did that!" cried the woman. "Whatever you do, youalways do the very thing I could have wished. Besides, what did we wantwith the cock? We are our own masters and can lie as long as we like inthe mornings. Heaven be praised! As long as I have got you back again, who manage everything so well, I shall neither want cock, nor goose, norpig, nor cows. "

Gudbrand then opened the door. "Have I won the hundred dollars now?" heasked. And the neighbor was obliged to confess that he had. 

PORK AND HONEY

At dawn the other day, when Bruin came tramping over the bog with a fatpig, Reynard sat up on a stone by the moorside. 

"Good day, grandsire, " said the fox. "What's that so nice that you havethere?"

"Pork, " said Bruin. 

"Well, I have got a dainty bit, too, " said Reynard. 

"What is that?" asked the bear. 

"The biggest wild bee's comb I ever saw in my life, " said Reynard. 

"Indeed, you don't say so, " said Bruin, who grinned and licked his lips, he thought it would be so nice to taste a little honey. At last he said:"Shall we swap our fare?"

"Nay, nay!" said Reynard, "I can't do that. "

The end was that they made a bet, and agreed to name three trees. If thefox could say them off faster than the bear, he was to have leave totake one bite of the bacon; but if the bear could say them faster, hewas to have leave to take one sup out of the comb. Greedy Bruin thoughthe was sure to sup out all the honey at one breath. 

"Well, " said Reynard, "it's all fair and right, no doubt, but all I sayis, if I win, you shall be bound to tear off the bristles where I am tobite. "

"Of course, " said Bruin, "I'll help you, as you can't help yourself. "

So they were to begin and name the trees. 

"FIR, SCOTCH FIR, SPRUCE, " growled out Bruin, for he was gruff in histongue, that he was. But for all that he only named two trees, for firand Scotch fir are both the same. 

"_Ash_, _Aspen_, _Oak_, " screamed Reynard, so that the wood rang again. 

So he had won the wager, and down he ran and took the heart out of thepig at one bit, and was just running off with it. But Bruin was angrybecause Reynard had taken the best bit out of the whole pig, and so helaid hold of his tail and held him fast. 

"Stop a bit, stop a bit, " he said, and was wild with rage. 

"Never mind, " said the fox, "it's all right; let me go, grandsire, andI'll give you a taste of my honey. "

When Bruin heard that, he let go his hold, and away went Reynard afterthe honey. 

"Here, on this honeycomb, " said Reynard, "lies a leaf, and under thisleaf is a hole, and that hole you are to suck. "

As he said this he held up the comb under the bear's nose, took off theleaf, jumped up on a stone, and began to gibber and laugh, for there wasneither honey nor honeycomb, but a wasp's nest, as big as a man's head, full of wasps, and out swarmed the wasps and settled on Bruin's head, and stung him in his eyes and ears, and mouth and snout. And he had suchhard work to rid himself of them that he had no time to think ofReynard. 

And that's why, ever since that day, Bruin is so afraid of wasps. 

HOW REYNARD OUTWITTED BRUIN

Once on a time there was a bear, who sat on a hillside in the sun andslept. Just then Reynard came slouching by and caught sight of him. 

"There you sit taking your ease, grandsire, " said the fox. "Now, see ifI don't play you a trick. " So he went and caught three field-mice andlaid them on a stump close under Bruin's nose, and then he bawled outinto his ear, "Bo! Bruin, here's Peter the Hunter, just behind thisstump"; and as he bawled this out he ran off through the wood as fast asever he could. 

Bruin woke up with a start, and when he saw the three little mice, hewas as mad as a March hare, and was going to lift up his paw and crushthem, for he thought it was they who had bellowed in his ear. 

But just as he lifted it he caught sight of Reynard's tail among thebushes by the woodside, and away he set after him, so that the underwoodcrackled as he went, and, to tell the truth, Bruin was so close uponReynard that he caught hold of his off hind foot just as he was crawlinginto an earth under a pine-root. So there was Reynard in a pinch; butfor all that he had his wits about him, for he screeched out, "SLIP THEPINE-ROOT AND CATCH REYNARD'S FOOT, " and so the silly bear let his footslip and laid hold of the root instead. But by that time Reynard wassafe inside the earth, and called out:

"I cheated you that time, too, didn't I, grandsire?"

"Out of sight isn't out of mind, " growled Bruin down the earth, and waswild with rage. 

THE COCK AND THE CRESTED HEN

There was once a Cock who had a whole farmyard of hens to look after andmanage; and among them was a tiny little Crested Hen. She thought shewas altogether too grand to be in company with the other hens, for theylooked so old and shabby; she wanted to go out and strut about all byherself, so that people could see how fine she was, and admire herpretty crest and beautiful plumage. 

So one day when all the hens were strutting about on the dust-heap andshowing themselves off, and picking and clucking, as they were wont todo, this desire seized her, and she began to cry:

"Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, over the fence! cluck, cluck, cluck, overthe fence!" and wanted to get away. 

The Cock stretched his neck and shook his comb and feathers, and cried:

"Go not there!" And all the old hens cackled:

"Go-go-go-go not there!"

But she set off for all that; and was not a little proud when she gotaway, and could go about pluming and showing herself off quite alone. 

Just then a hawk began to fly round in a circle above her, and all of asudden he swooped down upon her. The Cock, as he stood on top of thedust-heap, stretching his neck and peering first with one eye and thenwith the other, had long noticed him, and cried with all his might:

"Come, come, come and help! Come, come, come and help!" till the peoplecame running to see what was the matter. They frightened the hawk sothat he let go the Hen, and had to be satisfied with her tuft and herfinest feathers, which he had plucked from her. And then, you may besure, she lost no time in running-home; she stretched her neck, andtripped along, crying:

"See, see, see, see how I look! See, see, see, see how I look!"

The Cock came up to her in his dignified way, drooped one of his wings, and said:

"Didn't I tell you?"

From that time the Hen did not consider herself too good to be in thecompany of the old hens on the dust-heap. 

 [Illustration: "DIDN'T I TELL YOU?" SAID THE COCK]

THE OLD WOMAN AND THE TRAMP

There was once a tramp who went plodding his way through a forest. Thedistance between the houses was so great that he had little hope offinding a shelter before the night set in. But all of a sudden he sawsome lights between the trees. He then discovered a cottage, where therewas a fire burning on the hearth. How nice it would be to roast one'sself before that fire, and to get a bite of something, he thought; andso he dragged himself toward the cottage. 

Just then an old woman came toward him. 

"Good evening, and well met!" said the tramp. 

"Good evening, " said the woman. "Where do you come from?"

"South of the sun, and east of the moon, " said the tramp; "and now I amon the way home again, for I have been all over the world with theexception of this parish, " he said. 

"You must be a great traveler, then, " said the woman. "What may be yourbusiness here?"

"Oh, I want a shelter for the night, " he said. 

"I thought as much, " said the woman; "but you may as well get away fromhere at once, for my husband is not at home, and my place is not aninn, " she said. 

"My good woman, " said the tramp, "you must not be so cross andhard-hearted, for we are both human beings, and should help one another, as it is written. "

"Help one another?" said the woman, "help? Did you ever hear such athing? Who'll help me, do you think? I haven't got a morsel in thehouse! No, you'll have to look for quarters elsewhere, " she said. 

But the tramp was like the rest of his kind; he did not considerhimself beaten at the first rebuff. Although the old woman grumbled andcomplained as much as she could, he was just as persistent as ever, andwent on begging and praying like a starved dog, until at last she gavein, and he got permission to lie on the floor for the night. 

That was very kind, he thought, and he thanked her for it. 

"Better on the floor without sleep, than suffer cold in the forestdeep, " he said; for he was a merry fellow, this tramp, and was alwaysready with a rhyme. 

When he came into the room he could see that the woman was not so badlyoff as she had pretended; but she was a greedy and stingy woman of theworst sort, and was always complaining and grumbling. 

He now made himself very agreeable, of course, and asked her in his mostinsinuating manner for something to eat. 

"Where am I to get it from?" said the woman. "I haven't tasted a morselmyself the whole day. "

But the tramp was a cunning fellow, he was. 

"Poor old granny, you must be starving, " he said. "Well, well, I supposeI shall have to ask you to have something with me, then?"

"Have something with you!" said the woman. "You don't look as if youcould ask any one to have anything! What have you got to offer one, Ishould like to know?"

"He who far and wide does roam sees many things not known at home; andhe who many things has seen has wits about him and senses keen, " saidthe tramp. "Better dead than lose one's head! Lend me a pot, granny!"

The old woman now became very inquisitive, as you may guess, and so shelet him have a pot. 

He filled it with water and put it on the fire, and then he blew withall his might till the fire was burning fiercely all round it. Then hetook a four-inch nail from his pocket, turned it three times in hishand, and put it into the pot. 

The woman stared with all her might. 

"What's this going to be?" she asked. 

"Nail broth, " said the tramp, and began to stir the water with theporridge-stick. 

"Nail broth?" asked the woman. 

"Yes, nail broth, " said the tramp. 

The old woman had seen and heard a good deal in her time, but thatanybody could have made broth with a nail, well, she had never heard thelike before. 

"That's something for poor people to know, " she said, "and I should liketo learn how to make it. "

"That which is not worth having will always go a-begging, " said thetramp, but if she wanted to learn how to make it she had only to watchhim, he said, and went on stirring the broth. 

The old woman squatted on the ground, her hands clasping her knees, andher eyes following his hand as he stirred the broth. 

"This generally makes good broth, " he said; "but this time it will verylikely be rather thin, for I have been making broth the whole week withthe same nail. If one only had a handful of sifted oatmeal to put in, that would make it all right, " he said. "But what one has to go without, it's no use thinking more about, " and so he stirred the broth again. 

"Well, I think I have a scrap of flour somewhere, " said the old woman, and went out to fetch some, and it was both good and fine. 

The tramp began putting the flour into the broth, and went on stirring, while the woman sat staring now at him and then at the pot until hereyes nearly burst their sockets. 

"This broth would be good enough for company, " he said, putting in onehandful of flour after another. "If I had only a bit of salted beef andfew potatoes to put in, it would be fit for gentlefolks, howeverparticular they might be, " he said. "But what one has to go without, it's no use thinking more about. "

When the old woman really began to think it over, she thought she hadsome potatoes, and perhaps a bit of beef as well; and these she gave thetramp, who went on stirring, while she sat and stared as hard as ever. 

"This will be grand enough for the best in the land, " he said. 

"Well, I never!" said the woman; "and just fancy--all with a nail!"

He was really a wonderful man, that tramp! He could do more than drink asup and turn the tankard up, he could. 

"If one had only a little barley and a drop of milk, we could ask theking himself to have some of it, " he said; "for this is what he hasevery blessed evening--that I know, for I have been in service under theking's cook, " he said. 

"Dear me! Ask the king to have some! Well, I never!" exclaimed thewoman, slapping her knees. She was quite awestruck at the tramp and hisgrand connections. 

"But what one has to go without, it's no use thinking more about, " saidthe tramp. 

And then she remembered she had a little barley; and as for milk, well, she wasn't quite out of that, she said. And then she went to fetchboth the one and the other. 

The tramp went on stirring, and the woman sat staring, one moment at himand the next at the pot. 

Then all at once the tramp took out the nail. 

"Now it's ready, and now we'll have a real good feast, " he said. "But tothis kind of soup the king and the queen always take a dram or two, andone sandwich at least. And then they always have a cloth on the tablewhen they eat, " he said. "But what one has to go without, it's no usethinking more about. "

But by this time the old woman herself had begun to feel quite grand andfine, I can tell you; and if that was all that was wanted to make itjust as the king had it, she thought it would be nice to have it exactlythe same way for once, and play at being king and queen with the tramp. She went straight to a cupboard and brought out the brandy bottle, dramglasses, butter and cheese, smoked beef and veal, until at last thetable looked as if it were decked out for company. 

Never in her life had the old woman had such a grand feast, and neverhad she tasted such broth, and just fancy, made only with a nail!

She was in such a good and merry humor at having learned such aneconomical way of making broth that she did not know how to make enoughof the tramp who had taught her such a useful thing. 

So they ate and drank, and drank and ate, until they became both tiredand sleepy. 

The tramp was now going to lie down on the floor. But that would neverdo, thought the old woman; no, that was impossible. "Such a grand personmust have a bed to lie in, " she said. 

He did not need much pressing. "It's just like the sweet Christmastime, " he said, "and a nicer woman I never came across. Ah, well! Happyare they who meet with such good people, " said he; and he lay down onthe bed and went asleep. 

And next morning, when he woke, the first thing he got was a goodbreakfast. 

When he was going, the old woman gave him a bright dollar piece. 

"And thanks, many thanks, for what you have taught me, " she said. "Now Ishall live in comfort, since I have learned how to make broth with anail. "

"Well, it isn't very difficult if one only has something good to add toit, " said the tramp as he went his way. 

The woman stood at the door staring after him. 

"Such people don't grow on every bush, " she said. 

THE OLD WOMAN AND THE FISH

There was once upon a time an old woman who lived in a miserable cottageon the brow of a hill overlooking the town. Her husband had been deadfor many years, and her children were in service round about the parish, so she felt rather lonely and dreary by herself, and otherwise she wasnot particularly well off either. 

But when it has been ordained that one shall live, one cannot think ofone's funeral; and so one has to take the world as it is, and still besatisfied; and that was about all the old woman could console herselfwith. But that the road up which she had to carry the pails from thewell should be so heavy; and that the axe should have such a blunt andrusty edge, so that it was only with the greatest difficulty that shecould cut the little firewood she had; and that the stuff she wasweaving was not sufficient--all this grieved her greatly, and caused herto complain from time to time. 

So one day, when she had pulled the bucket up from the well, shehappened to find a small pike in the bucket, which did not at alldisplease her. 

"Such fish does not come into my pot every day, " she said; and now shecould have a really grand dish, she thought. But the fish that she hadgot this time was no fool; it had the gift of speech, that it had. 

"Let me go!" said the fish. 

The old woman began to stare, you may be sure. Such a fish she had neverbefore seen in this world. 

"Are you so much better than other fish, then?" she said, "and too goodto be eaten?"

"Wise is he who does not eat all he gets hold of, " said the fish; "onlylet me go, and you shall not remain without reward for your trouble. "

"I like a fish in the bucket better than all those frisking about freeand frolicsome in the lakes, " said the old woman. "And what one cancatch with one hand, one can also carry to one's mouth, " she said. 

"That may be, " said the fish; "but if you do as I tell you, you shallhave three wishes. "

"Wish in one fist, and pour water in the other, and you'll soon seewhich you will get filled first, " said the woman. "Promises are wellenough, but keeping them is better, and I sha'n't believe much in youtill I have got you in the pot, " she said. 

"You should mind that tongue of yours, " said the fish, "and listen to mywords. Wish for three things, and then you'll see what will happen, " hesaid. 

Well, the old woman knew well enough what she wanted to wish, and theremight not be so much danger in trying how far the fish would keep hisword, she thought. 

She then began thinking of the heavy hill up from the well. 

"I would wish that the pails could go of themselves to the well and homeagain, " she said. 

"So they shall, " said the fish. 

Then she thought of the axe, and how blunt it was. 

"I would wish that whatever I strike shall break right off, " she said. 

"So it shall, " said the fish. 

And then she remembered that the stuff she was weaving was not longenough. 

"I would wish that whatever I pull shall become long, " she said. 

"That it shall, " said the fish. "And now, let me down into the wellagain. "

Yes, that she would, and all at once the pails began to shamble up thehill. 

"Dear me, did you ever see anything like it?" The old woman became soglad and pleased that she slapped herself across the knees. 

Crack, crack! it sounded; and then both her legs fell off, and she wasleft sitting on the top of the lid over the well. 

Now came a change. She began to cry and wail, and the tears started fromher eyes, whereupon she began blowing her nose with her apron, and asshe tugged at her nose it grew so long, so long, that it was terrible tosee. 

That is what she got for her wishes! Well, there she sat, and there sheno doubt still sits, on the lid of the well. And if you want to knowwhat it is to have a long nose, you had better go there and ask her, forshe can tell you all about it, she can. 

THE LAD AND THE FOX

There was once upon a time a little lad, who was on his way to church, and when he came to a clearing in the forest he caught sight of a foxthat was lying on the top of a big stone so fast asleep that he did notknow the lad had seen him. 

"If I catch that fox, " said the lad, "and sell the skin, I shall getmoney for it, and with that money I shall buy some rye, and that rye Ishall sow in father's corn-field at home. When the people who are ontheir way to church pass by my field of rye they'll say: 'Oh, whatsplendid rye that lad has got!' Then I shall say to them: 'I say, keepaway from my rye!' But they won't heed me. Then I shall shout to them:'I say, keep away from my rye!' But still they won't take any notice ofme. Then I shall scream with all my might: 'Keep away from my rye!' andthen they'll listen to me. "

But the lad screamed so loudly that the fox woke up and made off at oncefor the forest, so that the lad did not even get as much as a handful ofhis hair. 

No; it's best always to take what you can reach, for of undone deeds youshould never screech, as the saying goes. 

ADVENTURES OF ASHPOT

Norwegian children are just as fond of fairy stories as are any otherchildren, and they are lucky in having a great number, for that famousstory-teller, Hans Christian Andersen, was a Dane, and as the Danishlanguage is very like the Norwegian, his stories were probably known inNorway long before they were known in England. But the Norwegians haveplenty of other stories of their own, and they love to sit by the fireof burning logs or round the stove in the long winter evenings andlisten to them. Of course, they know all about people like Cinderellaand Jack the Giant-Killer, but their favorite hero is called by the nameof Ashpot, who is sometimes a kind of boy Cinderella and sometimes aJack the Giant-Killer. 

The following are two stories which the little yellow-haired Norsechildren never fail to delight in:

Once upon a time there was a man who had been out cutting wood, and whenhe came home he found that he had left his coat behind, so he told hislittle daughter to go and fetch it. The child started off, but beforeshe reached the wood darkness came on, and suddenly a great bighill-giant swooped down upon her. 

"Please, Mr. Giant, " said she, trembling all over, "don't take me awayto-night, as father wants his coat; but to-morrow night, if you willcome when I go to the _stabbur_ to fetch the bread, I will go away withyou quietly. "

So the giant agreed, and the next night, when she went to fetch thebread, he came and carried her off. As soon as it was found that she wasmissing, her father sent her eldest brother to look for her, but he cameback without finding her. The second brother was also sent, but with nobetter result. At last the father turned to his youngest son, who wasthe drudge of the house, and said: "Now, Ashpot, you go and see if youcan find your sister. "

So away went Ashpot, and no sooner had he reached the wood than he met abear. 

"Friend bear, " said Ashpot, "will you help me?"

"Willingly, " answered the bear. "Get up on my back. "

And Ashpot mounted the bear's back and rode off. Presently they met awolf. 

"Friend wolf, " said Ashpot, "will you do some work for me?"

"Willingly, " answered the wolf. 

"Then jump up behind, " said Ashpot, and the three went on deeper intothe wood. 

They next met a fox, and then a hare, both of whom were enlisted intoAshpot's service, and, mounted on the back of the bear, were swiftlycarried off to the giant's abode. 

"Good day, Mr. Giant!" said they. 

"Scratch my back!" roared the giant, who lay stretched in front of thefire warming himself. 

The hare immediately climbed up and began to scratch as desired; but thegiant knocked him over, and down he fell on to the hearthstone, breakingoff his forelegs, since which time all hares have had short forelegs. 

The fox next clambered up to scratch the giant's back, but he was servedlike the hare. Then the wolf's turn came, but the giant said that he wasno better at scratching than the others. 

"_You_ scratch me!" shouted the giant, turning impatiently to the bear. 

"All right, " answered Bruin; "I know all about scratching, " and heforthwith dug his claws into the giant's back and ripped it into athousand pieces. 

Then all the beasts danced on the dead body of the monster, and Ashpotrecovered his sister and took her home, carrying off, at the same time, all the giant's gold and silver. The bear and the wolf burst into thecattle-sheds and devoured all the cows and sheep, the fox feasted in thehen-roost, while the hare had the free run of the oatfield. So every onewas satisfied. 

 * * *

The other story is also about Ashpot, whose two elder brothers stilltreated him very badly, and eventually turned him out of his home. PoorAshpot wandered away up into the mountains, where he met a huge giant. At first he was terribly afraid, but after a little while he told thegiant what had happened to him, and asked him if he could find a job forhim. 

"You are just the very man I want, " said the giant. "Come along withme. "

The first work to be done was to make a fire to brew some ale, so theywent off together to the forest to cut firewood. The giant carried aclub in place of an axe, and when they came to a large birch-tree heasked Ashpot whether he would like to club the tree down or climb up andhold the top of it. The boy thought that the latter would suit him best, and he soon got up to the topmost branches and held on to them. But thegiant gave the tree such a blow with his club as to knock it right outof the ground, sending Ashpot flying across the meadows into a marsh. Luckily he landed on soft ground, and was none the worse for hisadventure; and they soon managed to get the tree home, when they set towork to make a fire. 

But the wood was green, and would not burn, so the giant began to blow. At the first puff Ashpot found himself flying up to the ceiling as if hehad been a feather, but he managed to catch hold of a piece ofbirch-bark among the rafters, and on reaching the ground again he toldthe giant that he had been up to get something to make the fire burn. 

The fire was soon burning splendidly, and the giant commenced to brewthe ale, drinking it off as fast as it was made. Ashpot watched himgetting gradually stupid, and heard him mutter to himself, "To-night Iwill kill him, " so he began to think of a plan to outwit his master. When he went to bed he placed the giant's cream-whisk, with which thegiant used to beat his cream, between the sheets as a dummy, whileAshpot himself crept under the bedstead, where he was safely hidden. 

In the middle of the night, just as he had expected, he heard the giantcome into his room, and then there was a tremendous whack as the giantbrought his club down on to the bed. Next morning the boy came out ofhis room as if nothing had happened, and his master was very muchsurprised to find him still alive. 

"Hullo!" said the giant. "Didn't you feel anything in the night?"

"I did feel something, " said Ashpot; "but I thought that it was only asausage-peg that had fallen on the bed, so I went to sleep again. "

The giant was more astonished than ever, and went off to consult hissister, who lived in a neighboring mountain, and was about ten timeshis size. At length it was settled that the giantess should set hercooking-pot on the fire, and that Ashpot should be sent to see her, whenshe was to tip him into the caldron and boil him. In the course of theday the giant sent the boy off with a message to his sister, and when hereached the giantess's dwelling he found her busy cooking. But he soonsaw through her design, and he took out of his pocket a nut with a holein it. 

"Look here, " he said, showing the nut to the ogress, "you think you cando everything. I will tell you one thing that you can't do: you can'tmake yourself so small as to be able to creep into the hole in thisnut. "

"Rubbish!" replied the giantess. "Of course I can!"

And in a moment she became as small as a fly, and crept into the nut, whereupon Ashpot hurled it into the fire, and that was the end of thegiantess. 

The boy was so delighted that he returned to his old tyrant the giantand told him what had happened to his sister. This set the big manthinking again as to how he was to rid himself of this sharp-wittedlittle nuisance. He did not understand boys, and he was afraid ofAshpot's tricks, so he offered him as much gold and silver as he couldcarry if he would go away and never return. Ashpot, however, repliedthat the amount he could carry would not be worth having, and that hecould not think of going unless he got as much as the giant could carry. 

The giant, glad to get rid of him at any cost, agreed, and, loadinghimself with gold and silver and precious stones, he set out with theboy toward his home. When they reached the outskirts of the farms theysaw a herd of cattle, and the giant began to tremble. 

"What sort of beasts are these?" he asked. 

"They are my father's cows, " replied Ashpot, "and you had better putdown your burden and run back to your mountain, or they may bite you. "

The giant was only too happy to get away, so, depositing his load, whichwas as big as a small hill, he made off, and left the boy to carry histreasure home by himself. 

So enormous was the amount of the valuables that it was six years beforeAshpot succeeded in removing everything from the field where the gianthad set it down; but he and all his relations were rich people for therest of their lives. 

NORWEGIAN BIRD-LEGENDS

The Norwegians have several quaint old legends connected with some oftheir birds. This is the story of the goldcrest, known in Norway as the"bird-king":

Once upon a time the golden eagle determined to be publicly acknowledgedas king of the birds, and he called a meeting of every kind of bird inthe world. As many of the birds would come from tropical countries, heappointed a day in the warmest month; and the place he chose was a vasttract called Grönfjeld, where every species of bird would feel at home, since it bordered on the sea, yet was well provided with trees, shrubs, flowers, rocks, sand, and heather, as well as with lakes and rivers fullof fish. 

So on the morning of the great congress the birds began to arrivein a steady stream, and by noon every description of bird wasrepresented--even the ostrich, though how he contrived to cross the seasthe story does not say. The eagle welcomed them, and when the lasthumming-bird had settled down he addressed the meeting, saying thatthere was no doubt that he had a right to demand to be proclaimed theirking. The spread of his wings was prodigious, he could fearlessly lookat the sun, and to whatever height he soared he could detect theslightest movement of a fly on the earth. 

But the birds objected to the eagle on account of his plunderinghabits, and then each in turn stated his own case as a claimant for thekingship--the ostrich could run the fastest, the bird of paradise andthe peacock could look the prettiest, the parrot could talk the best, the canary could sing the sweetest, and every one of them, for somereason or other, was in his own opinion superior to his fellows. Afterseveral days of fruitless discussion it was finally decided thatwhichever bird could soar the highest should be, once and for all, proclaimed king. 

Every bird who could fly at all tried his best, and the golden eagle, confident of success, waited till last. Finally he spread his wings, andas he did so an impudent little goldcrest hopped (unbeknown to his greatrival) on to his back. Up went the eagle, and soon outdistanced everyother bird. Then, when he had almost reached the sun, he shouted out, "Well, here I am, the highest of all!" "Not so, " answered the goldcrest, as, leaving the eagle's back, he fluttered upward, until suddenly heknocked his head against the sun and set fire to his crest. Stunned bythe shock, the little upstart fell headlong to the ground, but, soonrecovering himself, he immediately flew up on to the royal rock andshowed the golden crown which he had assumed. Unanimously he wasproclaimed king of the birds, and by this name, concludes the legend, hehas ever since been known, his sunburnt crest remaining as a proof ofhis cunning and daring. 

In those parts of Norway where the goldcrest is rarely seen the samestory, omitting the part about the sun and the burnt crest, is told ofthe common wren, who is said to have broken off his tail in his greatfall. And to this is applied the moral: "Proud and ambitious peoplesometimes meet with an unexpected downfall. "

There are at least seven kinds of woodpeckers found in Norway, and ofthese the great black woodpecker is the largest. The woodmen consider itto be a bird which brings bad luck, and avoid it as much as possible. They call it "Gertrude's Bird" because of the following legend:

"Our Saviour once called on an old woman who lived all alone in a littlecottage in an extensive forest in Norway. Her name was Gertrude, and shewas a hard, avaricious old creature, who had not a kind word foranybody, and although she was not badly off in a worldly point of view, she was too stingy and selfish to assist any poor wayfarer who by chancepassed her cottage door. One day our Lord happened to come that way, and, being hungry and thirsty, he asked of Gertrude a morsel of bread toeat and a cup of cold water to drink. But the wicked old woman refused, and turned our Saviour from the door with harsh words. Our Lordstretched forth his hand toward the aged crone, and, as a punishment, she was immediately transformed into a black woodpecker; and ever sincethat day the wicked old creature has wandered about the world in theshape of a bird, seeking her daily bread from wood to wood and from treeto tree. The red head of the bird is supposed to represent the rednightcap worn by Gertrude. "

Legends of this description were doubtless introduced in the early daysof Christianity in order to impress the new religion on the people, andseveral have been preserved. Thus the turtle-dove is revered as a birdwhich spoke kind words to our Lord on the cross; and, similarly, theswallow is said to have perched upon the cross and to have pitied him;while the legend of the crossbill relates how its beak became twisted inendeavoring to withdraw the nails, and how to this day it bears upon itsplumage the red blood-stains from the cross. 

One more Christian legend--about the lapwing, or peewit: The lapwing wasat one time a handmaiden of the Virgin Mary, and stole her mistress'sscissors, for which she was transformed into a bird, and condemned towear a forked tail resembling scissors. Moreover, the lapwing was doomedforever and ever to fly from tussock to tussock, uttering over and overagain the plaintive cry of "Tyvit! tyvit!" ("Thief! thief!")

In the old viking times, before Christianity had found its way so farnorth, the bird which influenced the people most was the raven. He wascredited with much knowledge, as well as with the power to bring good orbad luck. One of the titles of Odin was "Raven-god, " and he had asmessengers two faithful ravens, "who could speak all manner of tongues, and flew on his behests to the uttermost parts of the earth. " In thosedays the figure of a raven was usually emblazoned on shield andstandard, and it was thought that as the battle raged, victory or defeatcould be foreseen by the attitude assumed by the embroidered bird on thestandard. And it is well known that William the Conqueror (who came ofviking stock) flew a banner with raven device at the battle of Hastingswhere he won such a great victory. 

But the greatest use of all to which the sable bird was put was to guidethe roving pirates on their expeditions. Before a start was made a ravenwas let loose, and the direction of his flight gave the viking shipstheir course. In this manner, according to the old Norse legends, didFloki discover Iceland; and many other extraordinary things happenedunder the influence of the raven. 

 [Illustration: "EVERY DESCRIPTION OF BIRD WAS REPRESENTED"]

 THE UGLY DUCKLING

 BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

It was glorious out in the country. It was summer, and the corn-fieldswere yellow, and the oats were green; the hay had been put up in stacksin the green meadows, and the stork went about on his long red legs, andchattered Egyptian, for this was the language he had learned from hisgood mother. All around the fields and meadows were great forests, andin the midst of these forests lay deep lakes. Yes, it was reallyglorious out in the country. In the midst of the sunshine there lay anold farm, surrounded by deep canals, and from the wall down to the watergrew great burdocks, so high that little children could stand uprightunder the loftiest of them. It was just as wild there as in the deepestwood. Here sat a Duck upon her nest, for she had to hatch her youngones; but she was almost tired out before the little ones came; and thenshe so seldom had visitors. The other ducks liked better to swim aboutin the canals than to run up to sit down under a burdock, and cacklewith her. 

At last one egg-shell after another burst open. "Piep! piep!" it cried, and in all the eggs there were little creatures that stuck out theirheads. 

"Rap! rap!" they said; and they all came rapping out as fast as theycould, looking all round them under the green leaves; and the mother letthem look as much as they chose, for green is good for the eyes. 

"How wide the world is!" said the young ones, for they certainly hadmuch more room now than when they were in the eggs. 

"Do you think this is all the world?" asked the mother. "That extendsfar across the other side of the garden, quite into the parson's field, but I have never been there yet. I hope you are all together, " shecontinued, and stood up. "No, I have not all. The largest egg still liesthere. How long is this to last? I am really tired of it. " And she satdown again. 

"Well, how goes it?" asked an old Duck who had come to pay her a visit. 

"It lasts a long time with that one egg, " said the Duck who sat there. "It will not burst. Now, only look at the others; are they not theprettiest ducks one could possibly see? They are all like their father;the bad fellow never comes to see me. "

"Let me see the egg which will not burst, " said the old visitor. "Believe me, it is a turkey's egg. I was once cheated in that way, andhad much anxiety and trouble with the young ones, for they are afraid ofthe water. I could not get them to venture in. I quacked and clucked, but it was no use. Let me see the egg. Yes, that's a turkey egg! Let itlie there, and come and teach the other children to swim. "

"I think I will sit on it a little longer, " said the Duck. "I've sat solong now that I can sit a few days more. "

"Just as you please, " said the old Duck; and she went away. 

At last the great egg burst. "Piep! piep!" said the little one, andcrept forth. It was very large and very ugly. The Duck looked at it. 

"It's a very large duckling, " said she; "none of the others look likethat: can it really be a turkey chick? Now we shall soon find it out. Itmust go into the water, even if I have to thrust it in myself. "

The next day the weather was splendidly bright, and the sun shone on allthe green trees. The Mother-Duck went down to the water with all herlittle ones. Splash she jumped into the water. "Quack! quack!" she said, and one duckling after another plunged in. The water closed over theirheads, but they came up in an instant, and swam capitally; their legswent of themselves, and there they were all in the water. The ugly grayDuckling swam with them. 

"No, it's not a turkey, " said she; "look how well it can use its legs, and how upright it holds itself. It is my own child! On the whole it'squite pretty, if one looks at it rightly. Quack! quack! come with me, and I'll lead you out into the great world, and present you in thepoultry-yard; but keep close to me, so that no one may tread on you, andtake care of the cats!"

And so they came into the poultry-yard. There was a terrible riot goingon in there, for two families were quarreling about an eel's head, andthe cat got it after all. 

"See, that's how it goes in the world!" said the Mother-Duck; and shewhetted her beak, for she, too, wanted the eel's head. "Only use yourlegs, " she said. "See that you can bustle about, and bow your headsbefore the old Duck yonder. She's the grandest of her tribe; she's ofSpanish blood--that's why she's so fat; and do you see, she has a redrag around her leg; that's something particularly fine, and the greatestdistinction a duck can enjoy; it signifies that one does not want tolose her, and that she's to be recognized by man and beast. Shakeyourselves--don't turn in your toes; a well-brought-up duck turns itstoes quite out, just like father and mother, so! Now bend your necks andsay 'Rap'!"

And they did so; but the other ducks round about looked at them, andsaid quite boldly:

"Look there! now we're to have these hanging on, as if there were notenough of us already! And--fie!--how that Duckling yonder looks; wewon't stand that!" And one duck flew up immediately, and bit it in theneck. 

"Let it alone, " said the mother; "it does no harm to any one. "

"Yes, but it's too large and peculiar, " said the Duck who had bitten it;"and therefore it must be buffeted. "

"Those are pretty children that the mother has there, " said the old Duckwith the rag on her leg. "They're all pretty but that one; that was afailure. I wish she could alter it. "

"That cannot be done, my lady, " replied the Mother-Duck. "It is notpretty, but it has a really good disposition, and swims as well as anyother; I may even say it swims better. I think it will grow up pretty, and become smaller in time; it has lain too long in the egg, andtherefore is not properly shaped. " And then she pinched it in the neck, and smoothed its feathers. "Moreover, it is a drake, " she said, "andtherefore it is not of so much consequence. I think he will be verystrong: he makes his way already. "

"The other ducklings are graceful enough, " said the old Duck. "Makeyourself at home; and if you find an eel's head, you may bring it tome. "

And now they were at home. But the poor Duckling which had crept lastout of the egg, and looked so ugly, was bitten and pushed and jeered, asmuch by the ducks as by the chickens. 

"It is too big!" they all said. And the turkey-cock, who had been bornwith spurs, and therefore thought himself an emperor, blew himself uplike a ship in full sail, and bore straight down upon it; then hegobbled, and grew quite red in the face. The poor Duckling did not knowwhere it should stand or walk; it was quite melancholy because it lookedugly, and was scoffed at by the whole yard. 

So it went on the first day; and afterward it became worse and worse. The poor Duckling was hunted about by every one; even its brothers andsisters were quite angry with it, and said: "If the cat would only catchyou, you ugly creature!" And the mother said: "If you were only faraway!" And the ducks bit it, and the chickens beat it, and the girl whohad to feed the poultry kicked at it with her foot. 

Then it ran and flew over the fence, and the little birds in the bushesflew up in fear. 

"That is because I am so ugly!" thought the Duckling; and it shut itseyes, but flew on farther; thus it came out into the great moor, wherethe wild ducks lived. Here it lay the whole night long; and it was wearyand downcast. 

Toward morning the wild ducks flew up, and looked at their newcompanion. 

"What sort of a one are you?" they asked; and the Duckling turned inevery direction, and bowed as well as it could. "You are remarkablyugly!" said the wild ducks. "But that is very indifferent to us, so longas you do not marry into our family. "

Poor thing! it certainly did not think of marrying, and only hoped toobtain leave to lie among the reeds and drink some of the swamp water. 

Thus it lay two whole days; then came thither two wild geese, or, properly speaking, two wild ganders. It was not long since each hadcrept out of an egg, and that's why they were so saucy. 

"Listen, comrade, " said one of them. "You're so ugly that I like you. Will you go with us, and become a bird of passage? Near here, in anothermoor, there are a few sweet lovely wild geese, all unmarried, and allable to say 'Rap'! You've a chance of making your fortune, ugly as youare!"

"Piff! paff!" resounded through the air; and the two ganders fell downdead in the swamp, and the water became blood-red. "Piff! paff!" itsounded again, and whole flocks of wild geese rose up from the reeds. And then there was another report. A great hunt was going on. Thehunters were lying in wait all round the moor, and some were evensitting up in the branches of the trees, which spread far over thereeds. The blue smoke rose up like clouds among the dark trees, and waswafted far away across the water; and the hunting dogs came--splash, splash!--into the swamp, and the rushes and the reeds bent down on everyside. That was a fright for the poor Duckling! It turned its head, andput it under its wing; but at that moment a frightful great dog stoodclose by the Duckling. His tongue hung far out of his mouth and his eyesgleamed horrible and ugly; he thrust out his nose close against theDuckling, showed his sharp teeth, and--splash, splash!--on he went, without seizing it. 

"Oh, Heaven be thanked!" sighed the Duckling. "I am so ugly that eventhe dog does not like to bite me!"

And so it lay quite quiet, while the shots rattled through the reeds andgun after gun was fired. At last, late in the day, silence was restored;but the poor Duckling did not dare to rise up; it waited several hoursbefore it looked around, and then hastened away out of the moor as fastas it could. It ran on over field and meadow; there was such a stormraging that it was difficult to get from one place to another. 

Toward evening the Duckling came to a miserable little hut. This hut wasso dilapidated that it did not know on which side it should fall; andthat's why it remained standing. The storm whistled round the Ducklingin such a way that the poor creature was obliged to sit down, to standagainst it; and the tempest grew worse and worse. Then the Ducklingnoticed that one of the hinges of the door had given way, and the doorhung so slanting that the Duckling could slip through the crack into theroom. 

Here lived a woman, with her Tom Cat and her Hen. And the Tom Cat, whomshe called Sonnie, could arch his back and purr, he could even give outsparks; but for that one had to stroke his fur the wrong way. The Henhad quite little short legs, and therefore she was calledChickabiddy-shortshanks; she laid good eggs, and the woman loved her asher own child. 

In the morning the strange Duckling was at once noticed, and the Tom Catbegan to purr, and the Hen to cluck. 

"What's this?" said the woman, looking all around; but she could not seevery well, and therefore she thought the Duckling was a fat duck thathad strayed. "This is a rare prize!" she said. "Now I shall have duck'seggs. I hope it is not a drake. We must try that. "

And so the Duckling was admitted on trial for three weeks; but no eggscame. And the Tom Cat was master of the house, and the Hen was the lady, and always said, "We and the world!" for she thought they were half theworld, and by far the better half. The Duckling thought one might have adifferent opinion, but the Hen would not allow it. 

"Can you lay eggs?" she asked. 

"No. "

"Then you'll have the goodness to hold your tongue. "

And the Tom Cat said, "Can you curve your back, and purr and give outsparks?"

"No. "

"Then you cannot have any opinion of your own when sensible people arespeaking. "

And the Duckling sat in the corner and was melancholy; then the freshair and the sunshine streamed in; and it was seized with such a strangelonging to swim on the water, that it could not help telling the Hen ofit. 

"What are you thinking of?" cried the Hen. "You have nothing to do, that's why you have these fancies. Purr or lay eggs, and they will passover. "

"But it is so charming to swim on the water!" said the Duckling, "sorefreshing to let it close above one's head, and to dive to the bottom. "

"Yes, that must be a mighty pleasure, truly, " quoth the Hen. "I fancyyou must have gone crazy. Ask the Cat about it--he's the cleverestanimal I know--ask him if he likes to swim on the water, or to divedown; I won't speak about myself. Ask our mistress, the old woman; noone in the world is cleverer than she. Do you think she has any desireto swim, and to let the water close above her head?"

"You don't understand me, " said the Duckling. 

"We don't understand you? Then pray who is to understand you? You surelydon't pretend to be cleverer than the Tom Cat and the woman--I won't sayanything of myself. Don't be conceited, child, and be grateful for allthe kindness you have received. Did you not get into a warm room, andhave you not fallen into company from which you may learn something. Butyou are a chatterer, and it is not pleasant to associate with you. Youmay believe me, I speak for your good. I tell you disagreeable things, and by that one may always know one's true friends! Only take care thatyou learn to lay eggs, or to purr and give out sparks!"

"I think I will go out into the wide world, " said the Duckling. 

"Yes, do go, " replied the Hen. 

And the Duckling went away. It swam on the water, and dived, but it wasslighted by every creature because of its ugliness. 

 [Illustration: "HAVE YOU NOT FALLEN INTO COMPANY FROM WHICH YOU MAY LEARN SOMETHING?"]

Now came the Autumn. The leaves in the forest turned yellow and brown;the wind caught them so that they danced about, and up in the air it wasvery cold. The clouds hung low, heavy with hail and snow-flakes, and onthe fence stood the raven, crying, "Croak! croak!" for mere cold; yes, it was enough to make one feel cold to think of this. The poor littleDuckling certainly had not a good time. One evening--the sun was justsetting in his beauty--there came a whole flock of great handsome birdsout of the bushes; they were dazzlingly white, with long flexible necks;they were swans. They uttered a very peculiar cry, spread forth theirglorious great wings, and flew away from that cold region to warmerlands, to fair open lakes. They mounted so high, so high! and the uglylittle Duckling felt quite strangely as it watched them. It turned roundand round in the water like a wheel, stretched out its neck toward them, and uttered such a strange loud cry as frightened itself. Oh! it couldnot forget those beautiful, happy birds; and as soon as it could seethem no longer, it dived down to the very bottom, and when it came upagain, it was quite beside itself. It knew not the name of those birds, and knew not whither they were flying; but it loved them more than ithad ever loved any one. It was not at all envious of them. How could itthink of wishing to possess such loveliness as they had? It would havebeen glad if only the ducks would have endured its company. 

And the Winter grew cold, very cold! The Duckling was forced to swimabout in the water, to prevent the surface from freezing entirely; butevery night the hole in which it swam about became smaller and smaller. It froze so hard that the icy covering cracked again; and the Ducklingwas obliged to use its legs continually to prevent the hole fromfreezing up. At last it became exhausted, and lay quite still, and thusfroze fast into the ice. 

Early in the morning a peasant came by, and when he saw what hadhappened, he took his wooden shoe, broke the ice-crust to pieces, andcarried the Duckling home to his wife. Then it came to itself again. Thechildren wanted to play with it, but the Duckling thought they would doit an injury, and in its terror fluttered up into the milk-pan, so thatthe milk spurted down into the room. The woman clapped her hands, atwhich the Duckling flew down into the butter-tub, and then into themeal-barrel and out again. How it looked then! The woman screamed, andstruck at it with the fire-tongs; the children tumbled over one another, in their efforts to catch the Duckling; and they laughed and screamedfinely! Happily the door stood open, and the poor creature was able toslip out between the shrubs into the newly fallen snow; and there it layquite exhausted. 

But it would be too melancholy if I were to tell all the misery and wantwhich the Duckling had to endure in the hard Winter. It lay out on themoor among the reeds, when the sun began to shine again and the larks tosing: it was a beautiful Spring. 

Then all at once the Duckling could flap its wings: they beat the airmore strongly than before, and bore it strongly away; and before it wellknew how all this happened, it found itself in a great garden, where theelder trees smelt sweet, and bent their long green branches down to thecanal that wound through the region. Oh, here it was so beautiful, sucha gladness of Spring! and from the thicket came three glorious whiteswans; they rustled their wings, and swam lightly on the water. TheDuckling knew the splendid creatures, and felt oppressed by a peculiarsadness. 

"I will fly away to them, to the royal birds! and they will kill me, because I, that am so ugly, dare to approach them. But it is of noconsequence! Better to be killed by _them_ than to be pursued by ducks, and beaten by fowls, and pushed about by the girl who takes care of thepoultry-yard, and to suffer hunger in Winter!" And it flew out into thewater, and swam toward the beautiful swans: these looked at it, and camesailing down upon it with outspread wings. "Kill me!" said the poorcreature, and bent its head down upon the water, expecting nothing butdeath. But what was this that it saw in the clear water? It beheld itsown image; and, lo! it was no longer a clumsy, dark-gray bird, ugly andhateful to look at, but--a swan!

It matters nothing if one is born in a duck-yard, if one has only lainin a swan's egg. 

It felt quite glad at all the need and misfortune it had suffered, nowit realized its happiness in all the splendor that surrounded it. Andthe great swans swam around it, and stroked it with their beaks. 

Into the garden came little children, who threw bread and corn into thewater; and the youngest cried: "There is a new one!" And the otherchildren shouted joyously: "Yes, a new one has arrived!" And theyclapped their hands and danced about, and ran to their father andmother; and bread and cake were thrown into the water; and they allsaid: "The new one is the most beautiful of all! so young and handsome!"And the old swans bowed their heads before him. 

Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his wings, for he didnot know what to do; he was so happy, and yet not at all proud. Hethought how he had been persecuted and despised; and now he heard themsaying that he was the most beautiful of all birds. Even the elder treebent its branches straight down into the water before him, and the sunshone warm and mild. Then his wings rustled, he lifted his slender neck, and cried rejoicingly from the depths of his heart:

"I never dreamed of so much happiness when I was still the UglyDuckling!"

THE WILD SWANS

BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Far away, where the swallows fly when our Winter comes on, lived a Kingwho had eleven sons, and one daughter named Eliza. The eleven brotherswere Princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast and hissword by his side. They wrote with pencils of diamond upon slates ofgold, and learned by heart just as well as they read: one could seedirectly that they were Princes. Their sister Eliza sat upon a littlestool of plate-glass, and had a picture-book which had been bought forthe value of half a kingdom. 

Oh, the children were particularly well off; but it was not always toremain so. 

Their father, who was King of the whole country, married a bad Queen, who did not love the poor children at all. On the very first day theycould notice this. In the whole palace there was great feasting, andthe children were playing there. Then guests came; but instead of thechildren receiving, as they had been accustomed to do, all the sparecake and all the roasted apples, they only had some sand given them in atea-cup, and were told that they might make believe that was somethinggood. The next week the Queen took the little sister Eliza into thecountry, to a peasant and his wife; and but a short time had elapsedbefore she told the King so many falsehoods about the poor Princes thathe did not trouble himself any more about them. 

"Fly out into the world and get your own living, " said the wicked Queen. "Fly like great birds without a voice. "

But she could not make it so bad for them as she had intended, for theybecame eleven magnificent wild swans. With a strange cry they flew outof the palace windows, far over the park and into the wood. 

It was yet quite early morning when they came by the place where theirsister Eliza lay asleep in the peasant's room. Here they hovered overthe roof, turned their long necks, and flapped their wings; but no oneheard or saw it. They were obliged to fly on, high up toward the clouds, far away into the wide world; there they flew into a great dark wood, which stretched away to the seashore. 

Poor little Eliza stood in the peasant's room and played with a greenleaf, for she had no other playthings. And she pricked a hole in theleaf, and looked through it up at the sun, and it seemed to her that shesaw her brothers' clear eyes; each time the warm sun shone upon hercheeks she thought of all the kisses they had given her. 

Each day passed just like the rest. When the wind swept through thegreat rose hedges outside the house, it seemed to whisper to them: "Whatcan be more beautiful than you?" But the roses shook their heads andanswered "Eliza!" And when the old woman sat in front of her door onSunday and read in her hymn-book, the wind turned the leaves and said tothe book: "Who can be more pious than you?" and the hymn-book said, "Eliza!" And what the rose bushes and the hymn-book said was the simpletruth. 

When she was 15 years old she was to go home. And when the Queen saw howbeautiful she was, she became spiteful and filled with hatred towardher. She would have been glad to change her into a wild swan, like herbrothers, but she did not dare to do so at once, because the King wishedto see his daughter. 

Early in the morning the Queen went into the bath, which was built ofwhite marble, and decked with soft cushions and the most splendidtapestry; and she took three toads and kissed them, and said to thefirst: "Sit upon Eliza's head when she comes into the bath, that she maybecome as stupid as you. Seat yourself upon her forehead, " she said tothe second, "that she may become as ugly as you, and her father may notknow her. Rest on her heart, " she whispered to the third, "that she mayreceive an evil mind and suffer pain from it. "

Then she put the toads into the clear water, which at once assumed agreen color; and calling Eliza, she caused her to undress and step intothe water. And while Eliza dived, one of the toads sat upon her hair, and the second on her forehead, and the third on her heart; but she didnot seem to notice it; and as soon as she rose, three red poppies werefloating on the water. If the creatures had not been poisonous, and ifthe witch had not kissed them, they would have been changed into redroses. But at any rate they became flowers, because they had rested onthe girl's head, and forehead, and heart. She was too good and innocentfor sorcery to have power over her. 

When the wicked Queen saw that, she rubbed Eliza with walnut juice, sothat the girl became dark brown, and smeared a hurtful ointment on herface, and let her beautiful hair hang in confusion. It was quiteimpossible to recognize the pretty Eliza. 

When her father saw her he was much shocked and declared this was nothis daughter. No one but the yard dog and the swallows would recognizeher; but they were poor animals who had nothing to say in the matter. 

Then poor Eliza wept, and thought of her eleven brothers who were allaway. Sorrowfully she crept out of the castle, and walked all day overfield and moor till she came into the great wood. She did not knowwhither she wished to go, only she felt very downcast and longed for herbrothers: they had certainly been, like herself, thrust forth into theworld, and she would seek for them and find them. 

She had been only a short time in the wood when the night fell; shequite lost the path, therefore she lay down upon the soft moss, prayedher evening prayer, and leaned her head against the stump of a tree. Deep silence reigned around, the air was mild, and in the grass and inthe moss gleamed like a green fire hundreds of glow-worms; when shelightly touched one of the twigs with her hand, the shining insects felldown upon her like shooting stars. 

The whole night long she dreamed of her brothers. They were childrenagain playing together, writing with their diamond pencils upon theirgolden slates, and looking at the beautiful picture-book which had costhalf a kingdom. But on the slates they were not writing as they had beenaccustomed to do, lines and letters, but the brave deeds they had done, and all they had seen and experienced; and in the picture-bookeverything was alive--the birds sang, and the people went out of thebook and spoke with Eliza and her brothers. But when the leaf wasturned, they jumped back again directly, so that there should be noconfusion. 

When she awoke the sun was already standing high. She could certainlynot see it, for the lofty trees spread their branches far and wide aboveher. But the rays played there above like a gauzy veil, there was afragrance from the fresh verdure, and the birds almost perched upon hershoulders. She heard the splashing of water; it was from a number ofsprings all flowing into a lake which had the most delightful sandybottom. It was surrounded by thick growing bushes, but at one part thestags had made a large opening, and here Eliza went down to the water. The lake was so clear, that if the wind had not stirred the branches andthe bushes, so that they moved, one would have thought they were paintedupon the depths of the lake, so clearly was every leaf mirrored, whetherthe sun shone upon it or whether it lay in shadow. 

When Eliza saw her own face she was terrified--so brown and ugly wasshe; but when she wetted her little hand and rubbed her eyes and herforehead, the white skin gleamed forth again. Then she undressed andwent down into the fresh water; a more beautiful King's daughter thanshe was could not be found in the world. And when she had dressedherself again and plaited her long hair, she went to the bubblingspring, drank out of the hollow of her hand, and then wandered farinto the wood, not knowing whither she went. She thought of her dearbrothers, and thought that Heaven would certainly not forsake her. It isGod who lets the wild apples grow, to satisfy the hunger. He showed hera wild apple tree, with the boughs bending under the weight of thefruit. Here she took her midday meal, placing props under the boughs, and then went into the darkest part of the forest. There it was so stillthat she could hear her own footsteps, as well as the rustling of everydry leaf which bent under her feet. Not one bird was to be seen, not oneray of sunlight could find its way through the great dark boughs of thetrees; the lofty trunks stood so close together that when she lookedbefore her it appeared as though she were surrounded by sets of palingsone behind the other. 

The night came on quite dark. Not a single glow-worm now gleamed in thegrass. Sorrowfully she lay down to sleep. Then it seemed to her as ifthe branches of the trees parted above her head, and mild eyes of angelslooked down upon her from on high. 

When the morning came, she did not know if it had really been so or ifshe had dreamed it. 

She went a few steps forward, and then she met an old woman with berriesin her basket, and the old woman gave her a few of them. Eliza asked thedame if she had not seen eleven Princes riding through the wood. 

"No, " replied the old woman, "but yesterday I saw eleven swans swimmingin the river close by, with golden crowns on their heads. "

And she led Eliza a short distance farther, to a declivity, and at thefoot of the slope a little river wound its way. The trees on its marginstretched their long leafy branches across toward each other, and wheretheir natural growth would not allow them to come together, the rootshad been torn out of the ground, and hung, intermingled with thebranches, over the water. 

 [Illustration: "THE WHOLE DAY THEY FLEW ONWARD THROUGH THE AIR"]

Eliza said farewell to the old woman, and went beside the river to theplace where the stream flowed out to the great open ocean. 

The whole glorious sea lay before the young girl's eyes, but not onesail appeared on its surface, and not a boat was to be seen. How was sheto proceed? She looked at the innumerable little pebbles on the shore;the water had worn them all round. Glass, ironstones, everything thatwas there had received its shape from the water, which was much softerthan even her delicate hand. 

"It rolls on unweariedly, and thus what is hard becomes smooth. I willbe just as unwearied. Thanks for your lesson, you clear rolling waves;my heart tells me that one day you will lead me to my dear brothers. "

On the foam-covered sea-grass lay eleven white swan feathers, which shecollected into a bunch. Drops of water were upon them--whether they weredewdrops or tears nobody could tell. Solitary it was there on thestrand, but she did not feel it, for the sea showed continualchanges--more in a few hours than the lovely lakes can produce in awhole year. Then a great black cloud came. It seemed as if the sea wouldsay: "I can look angry, too. " And then the wind blew, and the wavesturned their white side outward. But when the clouds gleamed red and thewinds slept, the sea looked like a rose-leaf; sometimes it became green, sometimes white. But however quietly it might rest, there was still aslight motion on the shore; the water rose gently like the breast of asleeping child. 

When the sun was just about to set, Eliza saw eleven wild swans, withcrowns on their heads, flying toward the land: they swept along oneafter the other, so that they looked like a long white band. Then Elizadescended the slope and hid herself behind a bush. The swans alightednear her and flapped their great white wings. 

As soon as the sun had disappeared beneath the water, the swan'sfeathers fell off, and eleven handsome Princes, Eliza's brothers, stoodthere. She uttered a loud cry, for although they were greatly altered, she knew and felt that it must be they. And she sprang into their armsand called them by their names; and the Princes felt supremely happywhen they saw their little sister again; and they knew her, though shewas now tall and beautiful. They smiled and wept; and soon theyunderstood how cruel their stepmother had been to them all. 

"We brothers, " said the eldest, "fly about as wild swans as long as thesun is in the sky, but directly it sinks down we receive our human formagain. Therefore we must always take care that we have a resting-placefor our feet when the sun sets; for if at that moment we were flying uptoward the clouds, we should sink down into the deep as men. We do notdwell here: there lies a land just as fair as this beyond the sea. Butthe way thither is long; we must cross the great sea, and on our paththere is no island where we could pass the night, only a little rockstands forth in the midst of the waves; it is just large enough that wecan rest upon it close to each other. If the sea is rough, the foamspurts far over us, but we thank God for the rock. There we pass thenight in our human form: but for this rock we could never visit ourbeloved native land, for we require two of the longest days in the yearfor our journey. 

"Only once in each year is it granted to us to visit our home. Foreleven days we may stay here and fly over the great wood, from whence wecan see the palace in which we were born and in which our father lives, and the high church tower, beneath whose shade our mother lies buried. Here it seems to us as though the bushes and trees were our relatives;here the wild horses career across the steppe, as we have seen them doin our childhood; here the charcoal-burner sings the old songs to whichwe danced as children; here is our fatherland; hither we feel ourselvesdrawn, and here we have found you, our dear little sister. Two days morewe may stay here; then we must away across the sea to a glorious land, but which is not our native land. How can we bear you away? for we haveneither ship nor boat. "

"In what way can I release you?" asked the sister; and they conversednearly the whole night, slumbering only for a few hours. 

She was awakened by the rustling of the swans' wings above her head. Herbrothers were again enchanted, and they flew in wide circles and at lastfar away; but one of them, the youngest, remained behind, and the swanlaid his head in her lap, and she stroked his wings; and the whole daythey remained together. Toward evening the others came back, and whenthe sun had gone down they stood there in their own shapes, and one ofthem said:

"To-morrow we fly far away from here, and cannot come back until a wholeyear has gone by. But we cannot leave you thus! Have you courage to comewith us? My arm is strong enough to carry you in the wood; and shouldnot all our wings be strong enough to fly with you over the sea?"

"Yes, take me with you, " said Eliza. 

The whole night they were occupied in weaving a net of the pliablewillow bark and tough reeds; and it was great and strong. On this netEliza lay down; and when the sun rose, and her brothers were changedinto wild swans, they seized the net with their beaks, and flew withtheir beloved sister, who was still asleep, high up toward the clouds. The sunbeams fell exactly upon her face, so one of the swans flew overher head, that his broad wings might overshadow her. 

They were far away from the shore when Eliza awoke: she was stilldreaming, so strange did it appear to her to be carried high through theair and over the sea. By her side lay a branch with beautiful ripeberries and a bundle of sweet-tasting roots. The youngest of thebrothers had collected them and placed them there for her. She smiled athim thankfully, for she recognized him; he it was who flew over her andshaded her with his wings. 

They were so high that the greatest ship they descried beneath themseemed like a white sea-gull lying upon the waters. A great cloud stoodbehind them--it was a perfect mountain; and upon it Eliza saw her ownshadow and those of the eleven swans; there they flew on, gigantic insize. Here was a picture, a more splendid one than she had ever yetseen. But as the sun rose higher and the cloud was left farther behindthem, the floating shadowy images vanished away. 

The whole day they flew onward through the air, like a whirring arrow, but their flight was slower than it was wont to be, for they had theirsister to carry. Bad weather came on; the evening drew near; Elizalooked anxiously at the setting sun, for the lonely rock in the oceancould not be seen. It seemed to her as if the swans beat the air morestrongly with their wings. Alas! she was the cause that they did notadvance fast enough. When the sun went down, they must become men andfall into the sea and drown. Then she prayed a prayer from the depths ofher heart; but still she could descry no rock. The dark clouds camenearer in a great black threatening body rolling forward like a mass oflead, and the lightning burst forth, flash upon flash. 

Now the sun just touched the margin of the sea. Eliza's heart trembled. Then the swans darted downward, so swiftly that she thought they werefalling, but they paused again. The sun was half hidden below the water. And now for the first time she saw the little rock beneath her, and itlooked no larger than a seal might look, thrusting his head forth fromthe water. The sun sank very fast; at last it appeared only like a star;and then her foot touched the firm land. The sun was extinguished likethe last spark in a piece of burned paper; her brothers were standingaround her, arm in arm, but there was not more than just enough room forher and for them. The sea beat against the rock and went over her likefine rain; the sky glowed in continual fire, and peal on peal thethunder rolled; but sister and brothers held each other by the hand andsang psalms, from which they gained comfort and courage. 

In the morning twilight the air was pure and calm. As soon as the sunrose the swans flew away with Eliza from the island. The sea still ranhigh, and when they soared up aloft, from their high position the whitefoam on the dark green waves looked like millions of white swansswimming upon the water. 

When the sun mounted higher, Eliza saw before her, half floating in theair, a mountainous country with shining masses of ice on its water, andin the midst of it rose a castle, apparently a mile long, with row aboverow of elegant columns, while beneath waved the palm woods and brightflowers as large as mill-wheels. She asked if this was the country towhich they were bound, but the swans shook their heads, for what shebeheld was the gorgeous, everchanging palace of Fata Morgana, and intothis they might bring no human being. As Eliza gazed at it, mountains, woods, and castle fell down, and twenty proud churches, all nearlyalike, with high towers and pointed windows, stood before them. Shefancied she heard the organs sounding, but it was the sea she heard. When she was quite near the churches they changed to a fleet sailingbeneath her, but when she looked down it was only a sea mist glidingover the ocean. Thus she had a continual change before her eyes, till atlast she saw the real land to which they were bound. There arose themost glorious blue mountains, with cedar forests, cities, and palaces. Long before the sun went down she sat on the rock, in front of a greatcave overgrown with delicate green trailing plants looking likeembroidered carpets. 

"Now we shall see what you will dream of here to-night, " said theyoungest brother; and he showed her to her bed-chamber. 

"Heaven grant that I may dream of a way to release you, " she replied. 

And this thought possessed her mightily, and she prayed ardently forhelp; yes, even in her sleep she continued to pray. Then it seemed toher as if she were flying high in the air to the cloudy palace of FataMorgana; and the fairy came out to meet her, beautiful and radiant; andyet the fairy was quite like the old woman who had given her the berriesin the wood, and had told her of the swans with golden crowns on theirheads. 

"Your brothers can be released, " said she. "But have you courage andperseverance? Certainly, water is softer than your delicate hands, andyet it changes the shape of stones but it feels not the pain that yourfingers will feel; it has no heart, and cannot suffer the agony andtorment you will have to endure. Do you see the stinging nettle which Ihold in my hand? Many of the same kind grow around the cave in which yousleep: those only, and those that grow upon churchyard graves, areserviceable, remember that. Those you must pluck, though they will burnyour hands into blisters. Break these nettles to pieces with your feet, and you will have flax; of this you must plait and weave eleven shirtsof mail with long sleeves: throw these over the eleven swans, and thecharm will be broken. But recollect well, from the moment you begin thiswork until it is finished, even though it should take years toaccomplish, you must not speak. The first word you utter will pierceyour brothers' hearts like a deadly dagger. Their lives hang on yourtongue. Remember all this!"

And she touched her hand with the nettle; it was like a burning fire, and Eliza awoke with the smart. It was broad daylight; and close by thespot where she had slept lay a nettle like the one she had seen in herdream. She fell upon her knees and prayed gratefully, and went forthfrom the cave to begin her work. 

With her delicate hands she groped among the ugly nettles. These stunglike fire, burning great blisters on her arms and hands; but she thoughtshe would bear it gladly if she could only release her dear brothers. Then she bruised every nettle with her bare feet and plaited the greenflax. 

When the sun had set her brothers came, and they were frightened whenthey found her dumb. They thought it was some new sorcery of theirwicked stepmother's; but when they saw her hands, they understood whatshe was doing for their sake, and the youngest brother wept. And wherehis tears dropped she felt no more pain and the burning blistersvanished. 

She passed the night at her work, for she could not sleep till she haddelivered her dear brothers. The whole of the following day, while theswans were away, she sat in solitude, but never had time flown soquickly with her as now. One shirt of mail was already finished, andnow she began the second. 

Then a hunting horn sounded among the hills, and she was struck withfear. The noise came nearer and nearer; she heard the barking dogs, andtimidly she fled into the cave, bound into a bundle the nettles she hadcollected and prepared, and sat upon the bundle. 

Immediately a great dog came bounding out of the ravine, and thenanother, and another: they barked loudly, ran back, and then came again. Only a few minutes had gone before all the huntsmen stood before thecave, and the handsomest of them was the King of the country. He cameforward to Eliza, for he had never seen a more beautiful maiden. 

"How did you come hither, you delightful child?" he asked. 

Eliza shook her head, for she might not speak--it would cost herbrothers their deliverance and their lives. And she hid her hands underher apron, so that the King might not see what she was suffering. 

"Come with me, " said he. "You cannot stop here. If you are as good asyou are beautiful, I will dress you in velvet and silk, and place thegolden crown on your head, and you shall dwell in my richest castle, andrule. "

And then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and wrung her hands; butthe King said:

"I only wish for your happiness: one day you will thank me for this. "

And then he galloped away among the mountains with her on his horse, andthe hunters galloped at their heels. 

When the sun went down, the fair regal city lay before them, with itschurches and cupolas; and the King led her into the castle, where greatfountains plashed in the lofty marble halls, and where walls andceilings were covered with glorious pictures. But she had no eyes forall this--she only wept and mourned. Passively she let the women putroyal robes upon her, and weave pearls in her hair, and draw daintygloves over her blistered fingers. 

When she stood there in full array, she was dazzlingly beautiful, sothat the Court bowed deeper than ever. And the King chose her for hisbride, although the archbishop shook his head and whispered that thebeauteous fresh maid was certainly a witch, who blinded the eyes and ledastray the heart of the King. 

But the King gave no ear to this, but ordered that the music shouldsound, and the costliest dishes should be served, and the most beautifulmaidens should dance before them. And she was led through fragrantgardens into gorgeous halls; but never a smile came upon her lips orshone in her eyes; there she stood, a picture of grief. Then the Kingopened a little chamber close by, where she was to sleep. This chamberwas decked with splendid green tapestry, and completely resembled thecave in which she had been. On the floor lay the bundle of flax whichshe had prepared from the nettles, and under the ceiling hung the shirtof mail she had completed. All these things one of the huntsmen hadbrought with him as curiosities. 

"Here you may dream yourself back in your former home, " said the King. "Here is the work which occupied you there, and now, in the midst of allyour splendor, it will amuse you to think of that time. "

When Eliza saw this that lay so near her heart, a smile played round hermouth and the crimson blood came back into her cheeks. She thought ofher brothers' deliverance, and kissed the King's hand; and he pressedher to his heart, and caused the marriage feast to be announced by allthe church bells. The beautiful dumb girl out of the wood became theQueen of the country. 

Then the archbishop whispered evil words into the King's ear, but theydid not sink into the King's heart. The marriage was to take place; thearchbishop himself was obliged to place the crown on her head, and withwicked spite he pressed the narrow circlet so tightly upon her brow thatit pained her. But a heavier ring lay close around her heart--sorrow forher brothers; she did not feel the bodily pain. Her mouth was dumb, fora single word would cost her brothers their lives, but her eyes glowedwith love for the kind, handsome King, who did everything to rejoiceher. She loved him with her whole heart, more and more every day. Oh, that she had been able to confide in him and to tell him of her grief;but she was compelled to be dumb, and to finish her work in silence. Therefore at night she crept away from his side, and went quietly intothe little chamber which was decorated like the cave, and wove one shirtof mail after another. But when she began the seventh she found that shehad no flax left. 

She knew that in the churchyard nettles were growing that she could use;but she must pluck them herself, and how was she to go out there unseen?

"Oh, what is the pain in my fingers to the torment my heart endures?"thought she. "I must venture it, and help will not be denied me!"

With a trembling heart, as though the deed she purposed doing had beenevil, she crept into the garden in the moonlight night, and went throughthe lanes and through the deserted streets to the churchyard. There, onone of the broadest tombstones she saw sitting a circle of lamias. Thesehideous wretches took off their ragged garments, as if they were goingto bathe; then with their skinny fingers they clawed open the freshgraves, and with fiendish greed they snatched up the corpses and ate theflesh. Eliza was obliged to pass close by them and they fastened theirevil glances upon her; but she prayed silently, and collected theburning nettles, and carried them into the castle. 

Only one person had seen her, and that was the archbishop. He was awakewhile others slept. Now he felt sure his opinion was correct, that allwas not as it should be with the Queen; she was a witch. 

In secret he told the King what he had seen and what he feared; and whenthe hard words came from his tongue, the pictures of saints in thecathedral shook their heads, as though they could have said: "It isnot so! Eliza is innocent!" But the archbishop interpreted thisdifferently--he thought they were bearing witness against her, andshaking their heads at her sinfulness. Then two heavy tears rolled downthe King's cheeks; he went home with doubt in his heart, and at nightpretended to be asleep; but no real sleep came upon his eyes, for henoticed that Eliza got up. Every night she did this, and each time hefollowed her silently, and saw how she disappeared from her chamber. 

From day to day his face became darker. Eliza saw it, but did notunderstand the reason; but it frightened her--and what did she notsuffer in her heart for her brothers? Her hot tears flowed upon theroyal velvet and purple; they lay there like sparkling diamonds, and allwho saw the splendor wished they were Queens. In the meantime she hadalmost finished her work. Only one shirt of mail was still to becompleted, but she had no flax left, and not a single nettle. Once more, for the last time, therefore, she must go to the churchyard, only topluck a few handfuls. She thought with terror of this solitary wanderingand of the horrible lamias, but her will was firm as her trust inProvidence. 

Eliza went on, but the King and the archbishop followed her. They sawher vanish into the churchyard through the wicket gate; and when theydrew near, the lamias were sitting upon the gravestones as Eliza hadseen them; and the King turned aside, for he fancied her among them, whose head had rested against his breast that very evening. 

"The people must condemn her, " said he. 

And the people condemned her to suffer death by fire. 

Out of the gorgeous regal halls she was led into a dark damp cell, wherethe wind whistled through the grated window; instead of velvet and silkthey gave her the bundle of nettles which she had collected: on this shecould lay her head; and the hard burning coats of mail which she hadwoven were to be her coverlet. But nothing could have been given herthat she liked better. She resumed her work and prayed. Without, thestreet boys were singing jeering songs about her, and not a soulcomforted her with a kind word. 

But toward evening there came the whirring of swans' wings close by thegrating--it was the youngest of her brothers. He had found his sister, and she sobbed aloud with joy, though she knew that the approachingnight would probably be the last she had to live. But now the work wasalmost finished, and her brothers were here. 

Now came the archbishop, to stay with her in her last hour, for he hadpromised the King to do so. And she shook her head, and with looks andgestures she begged him to depart, for in this night she must finish herwork, or else all would be in vain, all her tears, her pain, and hersleepless nights. The archbishop withdrew, uttering evil words againsther; but poor Eliza knew she was innocent, and diligently continued herwork. 

The little mice ran about the floor; they dragged the nettles to herfeet, to help as well as they could; and a thrush sat outside thegrating of the window, and sang to her the whole night long, as sweetlyas possible, to keep up her courage. 

It was still twilight; not till an hour afterward would the sun rise. And the eleven brothers stood at the castle gate, and demanded to bebrought before the King. That could not be, they were told, for it wasstill almost night; the King was asleep, and might not be disturbed. They begged, they threatened, and the sentries came, yes, even the Kinghimself came out, and asked what was the meaning of this. At that momentthe sun rose and no more were the brothers to be seen, but eleven wildswans flew away over the castle. 

All the people came flocking out at the town gate, for they wanted tosee the witch burned. The old horse drew the cart on which she sat. Theyhad put upon her a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hungloose about her beautiful head; her cheeks were as pale as death; andher lips moved silently, while her fingers were engaged with the greenflax. Even on the way to death she did not interrupt the work she hadbegun; the ten shirts of mail lay at her feet, and she wrought at theeleventh. The mob derided her. 

"Look at the red witch, how she mutters! She has no hymn-book in herhand; no, there she sits with her ugly sorcery--tear it in a thousandpieces!"

And they all pressed upon her, and wanted to tear up the shirts of mail. Then eleven wild swans came flying up, and sat round about her on thecart, and beat with their wings; and the mob gave way before them, terrified. 

"That is a sign from heaven! She is certainly innocent!" whispered many. But they did not dare to say it aloud. 

Now the executioner seized her by the hand; then she hastily threw theeleven shirts over the swans, and immediately eleven handsome Princesstood there. But the youngest had a swan's wing instead of an arm, for asleeve was wanting to his shirt--she had not quite finished it. 

"Now I may speak!" she said. "I am innocent!"

And the people who saw what happened bowed before her as before a saint;but she sank lifeless into her brother's arms, such an effect hadsuspense, anguish, and pain upon her. 

"Indeed, she is innocent, " said the eldest brother. 

And now he told everything that had taken place; and while he spoke afragrance arose as of millions of roses, for every piece of faggot inthe pile had taken root and was sending forth shoots; and a fragranthedge stood there, tall and great, covered with red roses, and at thetop a flower, white and shining, gleaming like a star. This flower theKing plucked and placed in Eliza's bosom; and she awoke with peace andhappiness in her heart. 

And all the church bells rang of themselves, and the birds came in greatflocks. And back to the castle such a marriage procession was held as noKing had ever seen. 

TAPER TOM

In a certain kingdom there was a very beautiful Princess, but she was sosad that no one could make her laugh; she would not even smile, thoughall in the court were gay and happy. 

For a long time her father tried hard to find something that would amuseher. But she would sit all day at her window, and, though the members ofthe court passed and repassed, and called out greetings to her, shewould only sigh. 

So at last her father the King caused it to be published abroad thatwhoever should make the Princess laugh should have her hand in marriage, and that half of the kingdom would be her dowry. 

But, that none might attempt this difficult feat without fair assurance, the King added as a sort of postscript to his decree that whoever triedto make the Princess laugh and failed should have two broad red stripescut in his back, and salt should be rubbed into the stripes!

Now, as you may imagine, soon there were a great many sore backs in thekingdom and in the kingdoms round about. For it was deemed but a slightmatter to make a Princess laugh: did not women giggle at little and atnothing?

But, although many came, and there were strange things done, thePrincess remained as sad as before. 

Now, there was in the kingdom a farmer who had three sons, and theydecided that each should have a trial at this task; for to win a dowryof half a kingdom was well worth trying. 

The oldest of the farmer's sons was a soldier, and had served in thewars, where there was always much laughter. And he said that it wouldnot be worth while for his two brothers to plan to journey to the court, because he intended to win the Princess that very first day. 

So he dressed up in his uniform, and put his knapsack on his back, andstrutted up and down the road in front of the window of the Princesslike any pouter-pigeon. But, though the Princess looked at him, once, she did not even turn her eyes in his direction a second time, and thestripes which were cut in his back were deep and broad, and he went homefeeling very sore. 

His next brother was a schoolmaster, and had one long leg and one shortleg, so that when he stood on the long leg he seemed a very tall man, and when he stood on the short leg he seemed but a dwarf, and he hadalways found that he could make folk laugh by quickly changing himselffrom a tall man to a mere dwarf. Moreover, he was a preacher, and hecame out on the road in front of the Princess' window and preached likeseven parsons and chanted like seven clerks; but it was all for naught, for after the first glance the Princess did not even look at him, thoughthe King who stood near had to hold on to the pillars for laughing. 

So the schoolmaster also went home with a very sore back; and when thethird brother, whose name was Taper Tom, because he sat in the ashes andmade tapers out of fir, said he now would go and make the Princesslaugh, the two older brothers turned to him in scorn, for how could hedo what neither of them, the soldier and the schoolmaster, had quitefailed to do? The Princess would not even look at him, he might be sure. 

But Taper Tom said that he would try. 

But when he came to the court he did not go before the King to say thathe had come to make the Princess laugh. Many there were who were tryingthat each day, and there was hardly a well back in all the kingdom bynow, and Taper Tom had no mind to have his own back cut, for they werecutting the stripes broader and rubbing the salt in harder every day. 

So Taper Tom went to the court and asked for work to do. They told himthat there was no work to be done, but he said:

"What, no work--even in the kitchen? I am sure that the cook needs someone to fetch and carry for her. "

"Well, now, " said the lord high chamberlain, "that might perhaps be. Youmay go to the kitchen and see. "

So Taper Tom went to the kitchen and the cook gave him work fetching andcarrying. And every day Taper Tom saw the men who came and went awaywith their backs sore. 

One morning he was sent to the stream to catch a fish, and he caught anice, fat one. As he came back he met a woman leading a goose withgolden feathers by a string tied around its neck. 

The old woman wanted a fish, so she asked Taper Tom if he would tradethe fish for the golden goose. "For, " she said, "it is a very strangegoose. If you lead it about and anyone lays hands on it, and you say, 'Hang on, if you care to come with us, ' he will have to hang on and gowith the goose wherever you lead. "

"Then, " said Taper Tom, "you may have my fish and I will take yourgoose. "

So the old woman took the fish, and Taper Tom took the end of thestring in his hand, and the goose followed after. 

He had not gone far when he met a goody who looked longingly at thegoose with the golden feathers, and at last she said to Taper Tom: "Thatis a very fine goose, and I would like to stroke it. "

"All right, " said Taper Tom. 

So the goody laid her hand on the back of the goose, and Taper Tom said:"Hang on, if you care to go with us. " And the old woman could not takeher hands off the goose, no matter how hard she tried. 

They went on down the road a way and came to a man who for a long timehad hated the goody, and he laughed loudly to see her hanging on to thegoose and trying so hard to let go; and thinking to make more difficultyfor her he lifted up his foot and kicked at her. 

As his foot touched her dress Taper Tom said: "Hang on, if you care tocome with us. " And the man's foot hung on to the dress of the goody, and, try as hard as he would, he could not let go. He had to follow, hopping on one foot all the while, and falling often and being dragged. He was very angry, and said a great many bad words. 

As they passed the blacksmith shop the brawny smith stood at the door, and when he saw Taper Tom leading the goose, and the goody hanging on toits back, and the man following, hopping on one leg, he began to laughvery much, and ran up to the man and struck him with his bellows, whichhe held in his hand. 

And as the bellows touched the man, Taper Tom said: "Hang on, if youcare to come with us. " And the smith had to follow after the man, for, try as he would, he could not let go of the bellows, nor would thebellows let go of the man. 

Then Taper Tom turned in on the road that lay in front of the window ofthe Princess, and though he did not look up, he knew that the Princesswas watching. 

And when the Princess saw the boy leading the golden goose, and thegoody hanging on to the back of the goose, and the man hopping on oneleg behind the goody, and the smith hanging on to his bellows, shesmiled inwardly, but she did not laugh. 

Taper Tom did not stop, but went on around to the kitchen; and when thecook came out to ask for her fish, with her pot and ladle in her hand, and she saw the golden goose, and the goody, and the man, and the smith, she began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh, so that all the court came outto see what had happened, and the Princess leaned from her window toknow what it was all about. 

And just then the cook's ladle touched the shoulder of the smith, and atthat moment Taper Tom said: "Hang on, if you care to come with us. "

And he turned and started back past the window of the Princess. And whenthe Princess saw the cook hanging on to the shoulder of the smith, withher ladle and her pot in her hand, and trying hard to get loose, and thesmith hanging on with his bellows to the coat of the man, and the manhanging on with one foot to the goody, and the goody with her hands onthe back of the golden goose, and the golden goose following Taper Tom, led by a string, she began to laugh and to laugh and to laugh. 

Then the King proclaimed that Taper Tom should wed the Princess, andthat half the kingdom would be her dowry. 

THE BOY WHO WENT TO THE NORTH WIND

"Go you now to the safe and get some meal, " said the mother of the Boy. "And mind that you carry it carefully, for there is but little left. "

So the Boy went to the safe to get the meal, but as he came back with itthe North Wind blew it away, and he went home empty-handed, and therewas no meal in the house that day. 

The next morning the mother sent the Boy to the safe again, and oncemore the North Wind came and took the meal. 

On the third day it was as before. Then the Boy said: "I will go to theNorth Wind and demand that he give back my meal, for we have nothing toeat in the house. "

So the boy started and went far, far to the country where the North Windabode; and when he had come there the North Wind said:

"I give you greeting and thanks for your coming. What can I do for you?"

The Boy answered: "I give you back your greeting, and I am come for themeal which you have taken away from me, for we have none left in thehouse. "

Then he told how for three days the North Wind had come and taken themeal as he returned with it from the safe, and now there was nothing toeat in the house. 

"I have not got your meal, " said the North Wind, "but I will give you amagic cloth which, whenever you say to it, 'Cloth, serve forth adinner, ' will provide you with all that you can eat and drink in amoment. "

So the boy took the cloth and started for his home, but as he had along way to go he stopped over night at an inn, and, being hungry, andwanting to test the cloth, he sat down at a table and unfolded it beforehim, saying: "Cloth, serve forth a dinner. " Immediately there was servedupon the cloth all sorts of good things to eat--such food as the Boy hadnever eaten before in his life. 

"It is indeed a magic cloth, " said the Boy, when, the dinner eaten, hefolded the cloth carefully and put it under his pillow before he slept. 

Now, the inn-keeper had been a witness to the thing which had happened, and had heard the words which the Boy said to the cloth, so he decidedthat he must possess so wonderful a thing as that, for it would savehim much labor. Accordingly, after the Boy had gone to sleep, he stolequietly into the room and slipped the wallet from under the Boy's pillowand put into it a cloth of his own exactly like it. 

When the Boy reached home the next day his mother asked him if he hadbeen to the North Wind, and if he had brought back the meal. 

The Boy said: "The North Wind was glad to see me, and thanked me forcoming, but said he did not have the meal. Instead, he gave me a magiccloth, so that we need never be hungry again, for it will serve us adinner at any time we bid it. "

So he took the cloth from his wallet and unfolded it on the table, as hehad done at the inn, and said: "Cloth, serve forth a dinner. " But, as itwas not a magic cloth, nothing happened. 

Then the Boy said that he would go again to the North Wind and tell himthat his cloth would not do as it was bidden. So he journeyed far to thehome of the North Wind, and the North Wind said: "I give you greetingand thanks for your coming. What can I do for you?"

Then the boy told him how he had come before to ask him for the mealwhich the North Wind had taken, and the North Wind had given him a magiccloth which should serve forth a dinner when it was bidden; but that, though at the inn the cloth had served forth a dinner, when he reachedhis home it had not done so, and there was nothing to eat in the house. 

Then said the North Wind: "I have no meal to give you, but I will giveyou a ram which, whenever you say to it, 'Ram, Ram, coin money, ' willcoin gold ducats before you. "

So the Boy took the ram and started for home; but as it was a long wayhe stopped at the same inn on his way home, and being anxious to try theskill of the ram, and needing to pay his bill to the inn-keeper he saidto it: "Ram, Ram, coin money. " And the ram coined golden ducats untilthe Boy told it to stop. 

"Now, " thought the observing inn-keeper, "this is a famous ram indeed. Imust have this ram, and I will not need to work at all. "

So when the Boy had gone to bed, leaving the ram safely tied in hisroom, the inn-keeper slipped in quietly, leading another ram which couldnot coin ducats, which he left in place of the ram which the North Windhad given to the Boy. 

And when the Boy reached home his mother asked him if he had broughtback the meal this time. And the Boy answered: "The North Wind was gladto see me, and thanked me for coming, but he said that he did not havethe meal. But he gave me a ram, which, when I bid it, 'Ram, Ram, coinmoney, ' coins golden ducats, so that we will not be hungry any more, forwe can buy what we need. "

Then he led forth the ram into the room and said to it: "Ram, Ram, coinmoney. " And the ram, not being a magic ram, did nothing but stand in themiddle of the room and stare at him. 

Now the Boy was angry, and he said: "I will go to the North Wind andtell him that his ram is worth nothing, and that I want my rights forthe meal which he has taken. "

So back he went to the North Wind, and when he had told his story theNorth Wind said: "I have nothing that I can give you but that old stickin the bag yonder. But when you say to it, 'Stick, come forth and layon, ' it lays on unceasingly until you say to it, 'Stick, stop. '"

So the Boy took the bag with the stick right willingly, for he had bythis time a fair idea of the cause of his trouble; and he stopped thatnight at the inn as he had done before. Though he did not call forth hismagic stick, the inn-keeper knew by the way in which he cared for hisbag that he had some special treasure, and decided that the Boy was asimple fellow, and that he must have this too, whatever it was in thebag. 

So when the Boy had gone to his room the man slipped in quietly andreached his hand under the Boy's pillow, where the bag lay. But the Boyhad not gone to sleep this time, and when he felt the hand under hispillow he said, "Stick, come forth and lay on. "

And the stick came forth and began to lay on about the inn-keeper'shead, and so hard did it strike that the inn-keeper soon besought theBoy to bid it stop--for the stick would respond only to the owner. Butthe Boy would not bid the stick to stop until the inn-keeper had beenroundly punished for his stealings, and had promised to return the magiccloth and the magic ram. When he had these again in his possession theBoy bade the stick return to the bag, and the next morning he went on tohis home. 

And when he had laid the cloth on the table and said to it, "Cloth, serve forth a dinner, " and the cloth had served forth a dinner, and heand his mother had eaten; and he had said to the ram, "Ram, Ram, coinmoney, " and the ram had coined golden ducats until he bade it to stop;and he had put the stick in a safe place where it could always do hisbidding, he and his mother had plenty, and were well paid for the mealwhich the North Wind had taken. 

THE WONDERFUL IRON POT

Once upon a time a little boy and his mother lived together in a smallbrown house at the foot of a hill. They were very poor, for the boy'sfather was dead, and the rich man who lived at the top of the hill hadtaken everything that they had, except one cow. 

At last it came that there was nothing in the house to eat, and themother said: "Now we will have to sell the cow. "

So she told the little boy to take the cow to town and sell it, and theboy put a rope around the cow's neck and started off down the road. 

He had not gone far before he met a man with a cloak over him andcarrying something under it. He asked the little boy where he was going, and the boy told him that there was nothing to eat in the house and hewas trying to sell the cow. 

"Will you sell her to me?" asked the man. 

"What will you give me for her?" asked the little boy. 

"I will give you an iron pot, " said the man. 

Now, the little boy knew that he ought not to sell the cow for an ironpot, and he quickly said he would not, but as he spoke he heard a tinyvoice under the man's cloak saying: "Buy me! Buy me!" So he told thestranger that he might have the cow. 

The man took the rope in his hands, and gave the little boy the ironpot, and he took it and went home again. 

"And what did you get for the cow?" asked his mother. 

By this time the boy was very much ashamed of having sold the cow for aniron pot, and he hung his head when his mother asked him what he hadgotten. They were about to throw the pot away, for, as the mother said, there was nothing to cook in it, when they heard a tiny voice say: "Putme over the fire and put in water. "

So the mother put the little pot over the fire and put in water, which, indeed, was all that she had to put in. And soon the water in the potbegan to bubble and to boil, and the little pot said: "I skip! I skip!"

"How far do you skip, little Pot?" asked the mother. 

"I skip to the house of the rich man at the top of the hill, " said thepot. 

And the little pot began to skip, skip, first on one of its three legsand then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip, until it came to thehouse of the rich man at the top of the hill, and it skipped right intothe kitchen of the rich man's house where his wife was making a pudding. All at once she looked up and saw the little iron pot on the table, where it had skipped in at the window, and right in front of her, andshe said:

"Oh, where did you come from, little Pot? You are just what I want toput my pudding in. "

So she put the pudding into the little iron pot, and as soon as thepudding was in and safely covered up, the little pot began to skip, skip, first on one of its three legs and then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip, down the hill, and though the farmer's wife ran after, she could not catch it, and away it went straight to the little brownhouse at the bottom of the hill. 

So the little boy and his mother had pudding to eat for dinner. 

The next morning the little pot begged to be put on the fire, and assoon as the water began to bubble and to boil, it called, "I skip! Iskip!"

"How far do you skip, little Pot?" asked the mother. 

"I skip to the barn of the rich man at the top of the hill, " said thelittle pot. 

And the little pot began to skip, skip, first on one of its three legsand then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip, until it came to thebarn of the rich man at the top of the hill. And in the barn thethrashers were thrashing the wheat, and the little pot skipped right outon the thrashing floor. 

"Oh, " said one of the men, "Where did you come from, little Pot? You arejust the thing to hold some of this wheat. "

So the man began pouring the wheat into the pot, and poured and poureduntil the little pot seemed quite full, but still there was room, sothe man poured until all the wheat was in the pot. 

Then the little pot began to skip, skip, first on one of its three legsand then on another, skippity skip, skippity skip, out of the barn andout on the road. And though all of the men ran after it they could notcatch it, and it skipped down the hill to the little brown house. 

So the little boy and his mother had plenty of white bread to eat. 

The next morning the little pot begged to be put on the fire, and assoon as the water began to bubble and to boil it began to skip, skip, skippity skip, skippity skip, until it came to the bank of the rich man, and it skipped right into the window where the rich man sat with all hismoney spread out on his desk. And as he counted he looked up and saw thelittle iron pot standing in front of him, and he said, "Where did youcome from, little Pot? You are just the thing for me to put my moneyinto. "

Then he began to pile his money into the iron pot, and though it wassoon full there was yet more room, and he piled more and more, until atlast all his money was in the iron pot. Then the little pot began toskip, skip, skippity skip, skippity skip, right out of the bank and downthe street and straight on till it came to the little brown house at thebottom of the hill. And though the rich man ran after it he could notcatch it, and so all the money that he had taken from the little boy andhis mother was carried back to them in the little iron pot. 

The next morning the little pot begged to be put on the fire again, andthe mother said: "Why should you be put on the fire, little Pot? Have wenot everything that we want?" But the little pot still wanted to be puton the fire; and at last, when the mother had put in the water and madethe fire, and the water began to bubble and to boil, the little potsaid: "I skip! I skip!"

And the mother said: "How far do you skip, little Pot?"

"I skip to the end of the world, " said the little pot. And it began toskip, skip, first on one of its three legs and then on another, skippityskip, skippity skip, until it came to the top of the hill, and there wasthe rich man hunting for his money. And when he saw the little iron pothe cried out: "There is the pot that stole my money!" And he caught upwith the pot and put his hand into it to take out his money, but hishand could not find the money; so he put his head in to look for it, andhe could not see it; next he climbed into the pot, and then it began toskip, skip, far away up the hill and up the mountain, and away to theend of the world. 

THE SHEEP AND PIG WHO SET UP HOUSEKEEPING

Once upon a time a Sheep stood in a pen to be fattened for the winter'sfeast. He lived well, for he was given the best of everything, and hesoon became so fat that one day the maid who came to bring his foodsaid: "Eat full to-day, little Sheep, for to-morrow will come thekilling and we shall eat you. " And she shut the gate and went away. 

"Oh, " said the Sheep, "I have heard that, Women's words are worthheeding, and that, There is a cure and a physic for everything exceptdeath. There being no cure for that, it is best to find a way out ofit. "

So he ate up all the food that the maid had left for him, and then hebutted hard against the gate of the pen, and it flew open, and the Sheepwent out of the pen and out on the big road. 

He followed the road to a neighboring farm, and made his way to a pigstywhere was fastened a Pig that he had known on the common. 

"Good day, and thanks for our last merry meeting!" said the Sheep. "Doyou know why you are fed so well while you stay in this sty?"

"No, that I do not, " said the Pig. "But I am very glad to get the goodfood and plenty of it, which they have been bringing to me since I wasshut up. "

"Ho, there is reason for that, " said the Sheep. "Many a flask emptiesthe cask. They want to make you very fat, for their purpose is to eatyou at the winter's feasting. "

"May they not forget to say grace after meat, " said the Pig. "I can donaught to hinder their eating. "

"If you will do as I do we will go off together into the woods and builda house and set up housekeeping, " said the Sheep. "A home is a home, beit ever so homely. "

So the Sheep and the Pig together butted down the pigsty, and startedoff on the big road together. "Good company is good comfort, " said thePig, as they trotted along. 

As they entered the big woods they met a Goose, who had come out on thecommon. 

"Good day, and thanks for our last merry meeting, " said the Goose, "where are you going so fast?"

"You must know that we were too well off at home, and so we have setoff into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, " said theSheep, "for, Every man's house is his castle, if he build it but big andstrong enough. "

"As for that, " said the Goose, "all places are alike to me, but I shouldlike to build a house; so if you like I will go with you, for, It's butchild's play when three share the day. "

"With gossip and gabble is built neither house nor stable!" said thePig. "What can you do to help build the house?"

"By cunning and skill a cripple can do what he will, " said the Goose. "Ican gather moss to put into the crevices and cracks, and so make thehouse warm and comfortable. "

Now, Piggy wanted above everything else to be warm and comfortable, sohe said that the Goose might come along. 

As the three journeyed on they met a Hare. 

"Good day, and thanks for our last merry meeting, " said the Hare; "whereare you hurrying to so fast?"

Then the Sheep explained how they were too well off at home, and weregoing into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, "For, " hesaid, "You may travel the world around, but there is no place likehome. "

"Oh, " said the Hare, "for the matter of that, I have a home in everybush. But I have always thought that some day I would build a house, andI will go with you if you like. "

"We could use you to scare away the dogs, " said the Pig, "but you wouldbe no good for anything else. "

"He who lives long enough will always find work to do, " said the Hare. "I have sharp teeth to gnaw the boards, and paws to hammer them fast. Ican set up at any time for a carpenter, for, Good tools make good work, as the man said. "

So he got leave to go, and there was no more said about it. 

As they went deeper into the woods they met a Cock, who gave themgreeting and asked where they were going. 

Then the Sheep explained how they were too well off at home, and weregoing into the woods to build a house and set up housekeeping, "For, "said the Sheep, "He who out of doors shall bake, loses at last both coaland cake. "

"Well, " said the Cock, "that is just my case, for, It's far better tosit on one's own perch, for then one can never be left in the lurch;besides, All cocks crow loudest at home. If I may have your leave, Iwill come with you. "

But the Pig protested. "Flapping and crowing sets tongues a-going!" heexclaimed, "but, A jaw on a stick never yet laid a brick. How can youhelp us or make yourself useful?"

"Oh, " said the Cock, "That house will never have a clock where there isneither dog nor cock. I will wake you up every morning, and will cry thealarm when the dawn arises. "

"Very good, " said the Pig, who was very like to oversleep. "Sleep is agreedy thief, and thinks nothing of robbing you of half your life. Youmay come with us. "

So they all set off together into the woods, and at last they came to agood place and built the house. The Pig hewed the timber, and the Sheepdrew it home; the Hare was the carpenter, and the Goose gathered mossand filled all of the cracks and crevices, and the Cock wakened themevery morning early. 

At last the house was done, and it was snug, and warm, and comfortable. "'Tis good to travel east and west, but, after all, a home is best, "said the Sheep. 

And they lived together until cold weather came, when they put up astove to keep warm, and they planned to enjoy the long winter. 

Now, not far off from the house lived the Wolf and his family, and hisbrother and his brother's family. 

And the Wolf and his brother saw the house which the Sheep and the Pigand the Goose and the Hare and the Cock had builded, and they talkedtogether of how warm and comfortable it was, and the Wolf decided thatthey must get acquainted with their new neighbors. 

So he made up an errand and went to the door and said he had come to askfor a light to his pipe; and while the door was held open he pushedhimself inside. 

Then all at once he found himself in a great confusion, for the Sheepbutted him so hard that he fell against the stove; and the Pig gored andbit him; and the Goose nipped and pecked him; and the Hare ran aboutover the house, now on the floor and now aloft, so that the Wolf did notknow who or what he was, and was scared out of his wits, and all thetime the Cock perched on a top beam and flapped his wings and crowed andcrowed. 

By-and-by the Wolf managed to get near the door and to dash through it. 

"Neighborhood makes for brotherhood, " said the Wolf's brother. "You musthave made good friends, since you remained so long. But what became ofyour errand, for you have neither pipe nor smoke?"

"Nice life makes pleasant company, " said the Wolf. "Such manners I neversaw. For no sooner was I inside than the shoemaker flew at me with hislast, and two smiths blew bellows and made the sparks fly, and beatand punched me with red-hot pincers, and tore great pieces out of mybody, the hunter kept running about trying to find his gun, and it iswell for me that he did not, for I should never have come out alive; andall the while a butcher sat up on a beam and flapped his arms and sangout to the others: 'Put a hook into him! Put a hook into him and draghim thither!' so it was all I could do to get out alive!"

"Well, " said his brother, "we can't choose in this wicked world, and anunbidden guest sometimes gets bad treatment. But I think that we will bevery well advised to let these new neighbors alone. "

So the Wolf, and the Wolf's family, and the Wolf's brother and hisbrother's family, let the Sheep and the Pig and the Goose and the Hareand the Cock alone, and they lived very happily in their house in thewoods. 

 [Illustration: MOTHER READS A FAIRY TALE]

DOLL-IN-THE-GRASS

Once upon a time there was a King who had twelve sons. These sons didnot like to do useful things--they only liked to ride and to hunt in thewoods, and to do what pleased them. 

One day the King said: "You shall each one go forth into the world toseek a bride. But you must choose a bride who can do useful things--and, to prove it, she must be able to gather the flax and spin and weave ashirt all in one day. If she cannot do this, I will not accept her as mydaughter-in-law. "

So the sons set out on their errands, each riding a beautiful horse, andlooking forward to having a great time out in the world while he huntedfor his bride. 

But the youngest son, Boots, was not popular with the others. So theysaid:

"Boots shall not go with us. We will not have him along--he will not dothe things that we want to do. "

So Boots drew rein on his horse, and the others rode out of sight. 

Now, Boots was very unhappy when he was left alone in the woods, and hegot off his horse and sat down on a log to think. For he did not knowwhere to go to have the good times that his brothers had been talkingabout, and he did not know where to seek a bride. 

As he sat thinking, he heard a strange sound near him--a sound likesilver bells tinkling softly; or was it fairies laughing? Boots lookedall about him, but could see nothing. 

"Here I am!" exclaimed a sweet little voice. And Boots looked down atthe grass at his feet, and there was the tiniest little creature smilingup at him, swaying with the stem of a flower which waved in the slightbreeze. 

"Why are you so sad?" asked this tiny maiden. 

"Oh, " said Boots, "my father has sent me and my brothers forth into theworld to find brides, and my brothers have gone on and left me all alonein the woods. "

The little creature laughed right merrily. 

"And suppose they have!" she cried. "The wood is the most beautifulplace in the world! And as for brides--you can find them there if youbut seek for them. "

By this time Boots was down in the soft grass beside her. 

"But my bride must be able to gather the flax, and spin and weave ashirt, all in one day. "

"Pauf!" exclaimed the little creature, "that is no great task. "

Then she tapped a tiny wand twice on the flower stem, and aspinning-wheel stood before her--such a tiny little spinning wheel! Shelifted the wand again, and the flax stem bent down, so that she gatheredits flower, and in a minute the spinning-wheel was twirling merrily. Atouch of the wand, and the loom was before her; then the thread was spuninto white cloth as fine as cobweb. Boots watched, fascinated. Thelittle creature next fashioned the cloth into a shirt--such a tinyshirt--and never was one so fine seen in all the world before. 

"You shall come with me to the palace--you shall be my bride!" exclaimedBoots. 

The little creature smiled at him, and said: "I will go with you to thepalace, and I will be your bride, but I must go in my own way. "

"You shall go in any way that you will!" said Boots. 

So Doll-in-the-Grass touched the stem of the flower again, and her ownsilver carriage came to her, drawn by two tiny white mice. And Bootsrode beside her, careful that his great horse should not crush thelittle carriage. 

The little mice traveled very fast, and it was not long before theycame to a stream. Now, the great horse could swim the stream withoutdifficulty; but when the mice plunged into it little Doll-in-the-Grassand the silver carriage and all went under the water. Then Boots wasdisconsolate, but as he stood, mourning, a beautiful maiden came up outof the water, a maiden fairer than any in all the kingdom, and neithersmaller nor larger than any of them. And she smiled at Boots and said:"You see how love can do great things. "

And Boots caught her up on his horse before him and exclaimed: "Ah, lovecan indeed do great things. "

And so they rode home together. And of all the wives whom his brotherswon, none was so beautiful as Doll-in-the-Grass. And of all the shirtsthat the wives spun, none was so fine or so soft as the one whichDoll-in-the-Grass gave to her father-in-law; and it had become a bigshirt--large enough for a man to wear--and was as soft as silk and asfine as any cobweb could possibly be. 

And the King loved her more than any of his other daughters-in-law, andBoots more than any of his other sons; so he said they should live withhim in his palace, and by-and-by succeed him on the throne. 

BOOTS AND HIS BROTHERS

Once upon a time there was a King who had seven sons. One day he said tothe six older ones: "You must go forth into the world, each one, andseek a bride. But Boots is too young to go, so he shall stay at home. And when you have found brides for yourselves, each one, you shall seekthe fairest Princess in all the seven kingdoms, and bring her home withyou, and she shall be a bride for Boots. "

So the six sons set out, and each found a bride, all so lovely that itwas not possible to say which was the most beautiful. But the brotherswere so interested, each one, in his own bride, that all forgot theywere to seek a bride for Boots, and they started home again. 

One night on the way they were forced by a storm to seek shelter in thecastle of a Giant, and the next morning while they were standing in thefront of the castle, with their retainers about them and their horsessaddled ready to mount and depart, the Giant suddenly turned them allinto stone where they stood--the brothers into large stone pillars, thebrides into smaller pillars, the retainers into small stones, and thehorses into stone horses. And there all stood in front of the castle, and the Giant went away laughing. 

After a long time of waiting at home, one day the King said to hisyoungest son: "It must be that your brothers are dead. My heart isbroken, and had I not you, my son, to console me in my old age, I shoulddie of sorrow. "

"But, my father, " said Boots, "for long I have been thinking that I mustgo forth into the world and find my brothers. "

"Do not say that, " said the King, "for evil has certainly befallen them, and the same evil may befall you, and I shall be left alone. "

"Nay, " said Boots, "whatever evil has befallen them I must fare forthand find out; and I will come back to you and bring my brothers with me, that will I. "

So at last the King yielded, and Boots set out. But there were noretainers to go with him, and his father had only an old, broken-downhorse to give him, for the other brothers had taken all the fine horsesfrom the stables, for their own riding, and to bring back their bridesupon. But Boots set forth right merrily on the old horse, often stoppingto let him rest, for he could not go fast, as could a younger steed. 

As they journeyed through the woods a Raven fell almost at the horse'sfeet, and Boots pulled him back quickly, that the bird might not bestamped upon. 

"I thank you, good master, " said the Raven. "I am so hungry that I wasfaint, and fell from the tree. Will you give me something to eat, and Iwill serve you faithfully?"

"As for that, " said Boots, "I see not how you can serve me, and I havebut scant food. But if you are so hungry that you fell from a tree, youmust need food badly, so I will give you a share of my own. "

So Boots gave the Raven some food, and went on through the forest. Atlast he came to a stream, and saw a Salmon swimming feebly about nearthe shore. "Oh, " cried the Salmon, as Boots stopped to give his horse adrink, "will you give me food? I am so hungry that I can scarce swimabout in the stream. "

"Well, " said Boots, "everybody seems to be hungry to-day, and for thematter of that, so am I. And how can you serve me, I would like to know?Nevertheless, since you are so hungry I will give you food, for it isnot pleasant to be hungry, as I well know. "

So he gave the Salmon some of his food, and went on through the forest. 

By-and-by he came to a Wolf, looking so gaunt and lean that he wasalmost afraid to pass by where the animal stood. But the Wolf stoppedhim and said: "Will you give me something to eat? I am so hungry that Ican scarce follow a trail. "

"Well, now, " said Boots, "this is getting a little thick. First a Raven, and then a Salmon, and now a Wolf. "

"That is so, " said the Wolf, "but there is little food in the forest. Nevertheless, with but a morsel I could follow the trail, and findplenty, and I would serve you at any time that I could. "

"Now have I many servants, " laughed Boots--"a Raven, and a Salmon, and aWolf. I will give you food, however, for you look as if you needed itsorely!"

So he gave the Wolf food, and when he had eaten, the Wolf said: "Do youfollow the trail which I make, and I will lead you where you would go. "

Boots laughed merrily, for since he did not know which way to gohimself it hardly seemed as if the Wolf could lead him in that way. Nevertheless, since all ways were alike, he thought, he might as wellfollow the Wolf, so he turned his horse's head in that direction. 

The Wolf trotted along before, and at last he turned and said: "This isthe Giant's castle, and the pillars yonder are your brothers and theirwives which the Giant has turned to stone. It is for you to go into thecastle and find a way to set them free. "

"That will I, " said Boots, "but how will I prevent the Giant's making astone pillar out of me?"

"Climb up on my back, " said the Wolf, "and I will take you into thecastle, but once there you must look out for yourself. But if you needme, whistle, and I will be beside you. "

"That will I, " said Boots, "and you, mind that you are not far, for Ithink I shall need you right speedily. "

So the Wolf trotted out and left Boots standing in the hall of thecastle. And Boots turned about and looked toward the inner room, andthere he saw a Princess which he knew at once was the fairest Princessin all the seven kingdoms; and he said to himself: "When I have set mybrothers free I shall not need to seek far for my own bride. "

The Princess greeted him, and told him that it was true that the Gianthad turned his brothers, and their brides, and their retainers intostone, and that he would turn them back again, one by one, when hewanted to eat them. 

"And what will he do with me?" exclaimed Boots. 

"Do you hide under the bed there, " said the Princess, "and I will takecare of you. For you must know that no matter how brave and strong youmay be you cannot kill this Giant, for he does not keep his heart in hisbody. It is hidden away somewhere, for he is afraid that some one willkill him, so he keeps it no one knows where. But to-night I will ask himwhere it is, and do you listen, and it may be that we can find it andkill him, and you can set your brothers and their brides and me free. "

"That will I, " said Boots, looking at her with eyes that told what hewould do when he had set them all free. 

So at last the Giant came home, and after he had eaten and was feelingvery good-natured, the Princess said to him: "I have always wonderedwhere it is that you keep your heart, for it is evident that it is notin your body. "

"Indeed, and it is not, " said the Giant, "for if it were I should havebeen dead long ago. But I will tell you where it is--it is under thegreat doorstep at the entrance of the castle. "

The next morning, after the Giant had gone out, Boots and the Princessdug and tugged, and tugged and dug, until at last they lifted the greatdoorstep at the entrance of the castle. But there was no heart under it. Then the Princess piled flowers about, that it might not show where shehad been digging, and when the Giant came back he laughed loudly, andsaid: "What sort of nonsense is this? You thought my heart was there, you silly, and have piled flowers about it. But my heart is not there. It is in the back of the big cupboard in the deepest dungeon keep. "

The next day after the Giant had gone Boots and the Princess went downto the deepest dungeon keep, and they dug and tugged, and tugged anddug, until at last they had moved the cupboard from the wall; but therewas no heart there. So the Princess piled flowers about, as she had donebefore. That night when the Giant came home he went down into thedungeon and saw the flowers, and said: "You did, indeed, wish to payhonor to my heart, you foolish child, but it is not there. "

Then tears stood in the beautiful eyes of the Princess, and she said:"Oh, then, tell me where it is, that I may place flowers about theplace. "

"That is not possible, " said the Giant, "for it is too far away fromhere, and you could not get to it. On a great hill in the forest standsa church, and in the church is a well, and in the well there is a duck, swimming backward and forward on the water; and in the duck is an egg, and in the egg is my heart; so you had best give up your foolishnotion. "

Boots, under the bed, heard every word; and the next morning, after theGiant had set out, he, too, started, whistling to the Wolf, who came atonce. Boots told him that he wished to go to the church that stood onthe high hill in the forest; and the Wolf said: "I know just where theplace is. Jump on my back, and we will be there in no time. "

So Boots jumped upon the Wolf's back, and they set off through theforest, and soon came to the church on the high hill. But the greatdoors were locked, and it was not possible for Boots to break them down, though he tried hard enough. 

"Now, " said the Wolf, "we must call the Raven. "

So they called the Raven, and he came and flew up over the top of thechurch, and into the belfry, and down into the porter's room, and caughtup the keys of the church, and in a moment he was back with them. ThenBoots opened the doors and he and the Wolf and the Raven entered; and inthe church they found a well, as the Giant had said, and on the water inthe well there was a duck swimming backward and forward. Then Bootscaught up the duck in his hands, and thought that now he had the Giant'sheart, when suddenly the duck let the egg drop into the water. 

"Now, " said the Wolf, "we must call the Salmon. "

So they called the Salmon, and he swam down into the water and broughtup the egg in his mouth, and Boots caught up the egg in his hand andsqueezed it hard, and at once the Giant far off in the forest cried out. 

"Squeeze it harder, " cried the Salmon, "and I shall be free. "

But the Giant far off in the woods begged hard for his life, and theWolf said: "Tell him that if he would have you spare his life he must atonce set free your brothers and their brides and their retainers, " saidthe Wolf. 

So Boots cried aloud this message to the Giant, squeezing the heartwhich he held in his hand as he did so; and the Giant called to him fromfar off in the forest that he had already done this, even as Boots hadasked him, and now would he please let his heart sink back into thewater. 

"No, " said the Raven, "squeeze it but a little harder, and I shall befree!"

So Boots squeezed the heart harder and harder, until at last it wassqueezed quite in two, and what was his surprise to see standing besidehim two young Princes, fair, almost, as the fair Princess in the Giant'scastle, who Boots knew was the most beautiful in all the seven kingdoms. 

"Let us hasten back to the castle, now, " said the Wolf, "that we maytell the Princes and their brides and the Princess in the castle thatthe Giant is dead, and they have nothing more to fear. "

Then the Wolf lifted up his voice and howled, and at once two otherwolves stood beside them. "Climb up, each one of you, " said the firstWolf, "and we will be back at the castle in no time. "

So Boots and the two Princes climbed up each on the back of a wolf, andthey were soon back at the castle; and Boots found his brothers, andtheir fair brides, and the Princess waiting for them. Then they all setout for the kingdom of their father, who was very glad to see them, tobe sure. And Boots said: "I have brought back your sons to you, but Ihave brought back the fairest Princess in the seven kingdoms to be myown bride. "

Although the brides of the other Princes were very fair, yet all agreedthat the bride of Boots was the most beautiful of all. 

VIGGO AND BEATE[L]

_Translated by Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thompson_

THE DOLL UNDER THE BRIER ROSEBUSH

There was once a girl, and her name was Beate. On her birthday herfather had given her a beautiful straw hat. Her mother had given her apair of yellow shoes and the daintiest white dress. But her old aunt hadgiven her the very best present of all; it was a doll, with a sweet faceand dark brown curls. 

Oh, how Beate grew to love that doll, almost more than she loved Marieand Louise, and they were her best friends. 

One day Beate was walking in the yard with her doll in her arms. It hada name now, and they had become fast friends. She had called her Beate, her own name, and the name of her old aunt who had given her thepresent. 

It was in the early Spring. There was a green spot in one corner of theyard around the old well. There stood a big willow tree with a lowtrunk, and it was covered with the little yellow blossoms that childrencall "goslings. "

They look like goslings, too, for each little tassel has soft yellowdown, and they can swim in the water. 

Now, Big Beate and Little Beate soon agreed that they would pickgoslings from the tree and throw them into the well, so that thesemight have just as good a time as the big geese and goslings that wereswimming about in the pond. It was really Big Beate who thought of thisfirst, but Little Beate agreed immediately; you can't imagine how goodshe always was. 

Now, Big Beate climbed up into the willow and picked many pretty yellowgoslings into her little white apron, and when she counted them she saidthat now they had enough, and Little Beate thought so too. 

Both of them ran over to the well, and Big Beate helped her littlefriend to get her legs firmly fixed between the logs that were aroundthe well, so that she might sit in comfort and watch the little goslingsswim about on the water. Then gosling after gosling was dropped down, and as soon as each one reached the water it seemed to become alive andit moved about. Oh, what fun!

But after awhile the little goslings would not swim any longer, but layquite still. That was no fun at all, so Big Beate asked her namesake ifshe didn't think she might lean a little over the edge of the well andblow on them, for then she thought they might come to life again. LittleBeate didn't answer, but she raised her left eye-brow, saying, "Pleasedon't do that, dear Big Beate! Don't you remember, Mother has told ushow dark it is down there in the well? Think, if you should fall in!"

"Oh, nonsense; just see how easy it is, " said Big Beate. She leaned outover the wall and blew on the nearest ones. Yes, it helped--the goslingsbegan to swim again. But those that were farthest away didn't move atall. 

"What stupid little things!" said Beate; and she leaned far, far outover the edge of the well. Then her little hands slipped on the smoothlog--splash! Down she fell into the water. It was so cold, so icy cold, and it closed over her head, and took the straw hat, which she had goton her birthday, off her hair! She hadn't time to hear whether LittleBeate screamed, but I'm sure she did. 

When Beate's head came up over the water again she grasped the round logwith both her hands, but the hands were too small, and the log too wideand slippery, she couldn't hold on. Then she saw her dear friend, LittleBeate, standing stiff and dumb with fright, staring at her and with herright arm stretched out to her. Big Beate hurriedly caught hold of herand Little Beate made herself as stiff as she could, and stiffer still, and stood there between the logs holding her dear friend out of thewater. 

Now Beate screamed so loudly that her father and mother heard her andcame running as fast as they could, pale and frightened, and pulled herout. She was dripping wet, and so scared and cold that her teethchattered. 

Now they put Beate to bed, and Little Beate had to sleep with her. Whenshe had said her prayers she hugged her little friend and said: "Never, never can I thank you enough, because you saved me from that horribledeep well, dear Little Beate. You shall be my very best friend, always, and when I grow up you shall be the godmother to my first daughter, andI shall call her Little Beate for you. "

THE FLOATING ISLAND

Beate was now a year older. During that year she had lost Little Beate, but she had never forgotten her. 

Big Beate had many dolls given to her, but not one was like LittleBeate. No one was so sweet and good-natured, no one so pretty andgraceful. 

It was a Saturday, and the next day, Sunday, she expected her friends, Marie and Louise, on a visit, for it was her birthday; therefore shewanted to decorate her doll-house as prettily as she could. 

Beate knew what to do. On the hillside by the Black Pond she rememberedthat she had seen the prettiest little snail shells anyone might wishfor--round and fluted, with yellow and brown markings. They would bejust the thing for her bureau. She ran off to search for them, slippingin and out through the hazel bushes, and picking empty shells by thedozen. 

But all of a sudden she heard a bird utter such a weird cry from thelake. She peeped out between the green branches and saw a big birdswimming about. It had a long blue neck and a white breast, but its backwas shining black. It swam fast, and then suddenly dived and was gone. 

Beate stood there and stared at the water, hoping to see the birdcome up again, but she waited and waited in vain. She was frightened, thinking it was drowned, when she saw it shoot up again far away, almostin the middle of the lake. Then it began to swim slowly toward a tinygreen island which lay there, and crept into the high weeds and grassesthat hung over the water. 

Beate could not get tired of looking at the pretty little island. Willowbushes grew out of the grass in some places, and in one end grew alittle white-barked birch tree. Beate thought she had never seenanything half so lovely. It seemed just like a strange little land, allby itself. 

At last Beate remembered that she must hurry home. Again she peepedthrough the leaves and branches to say good-night to the island, when--think of it!--the little green island was gone. 

She thought of goblins and fairies, and ran up the path to the top ofthe hill as fast as she could. But when she got there she had to lookagain. And she became more astonished than ever, for now she saw thelittle green island again, but far from the place where she first sawit. It was sailing slowly toward the southern end of the lake, and thesilver birch was its sail. 

As soon as Beate reached home she found Anne, the nurse, and told herwhat she had seen. 

Anne knew all about the floating island: it had been on the lake formany years, she said. But there were many strange things about it. Onething she would tell, and that was, that if anyone stood on the floatingisland and took a loon's egg out of the nest and wished for something, that wish would come true, if the egg was put safely back into the nestagain. If you wished to become a Princess of England, your wish wouldindeed be fulfilled, said old Anne. But there was one more thing tonotice: you must not talk about it to a living soul. 

"Not even to Father and Mother?" asked Beate. 

"No, " said Anne, "not to a living soul. "

Beate could think of nothing but the island all that evening, and whenshe had closed her eyes she could dream of nothing else all night. 

Just as soon as Beate got up in the morning she begged her father to rowher and Marie and Louise out to the floating island, when they came tovisit her in the afternoon, and that he promised. 

But he also asked how she had happened to think of that, and what shewanted there. Beate thought first that she would tell him everything, but then she remembered Anne's words, and said only that she wished togo out there because the little green island was so pretty. 

"Yes, indeed, it is pretty, and you shall see a loon's nest too, " saidthe father. 

Then Beate's face grew red, and the tears came to her eyes, for she knewwell enough about the loon's nest and about the eggs. 

In the afternoon the father took the three little girls down to thelake. Beate's friends thought this was the loveliest place they had everseen, and they begged the father to stop and get some of the prettywater-lilies for them. But Beate was longing for the floating island. 

The father rowed close up to the island and around it, and when he cameto the other side the loon plunged out of the reeds into the water andwas gone. 

"There is the loon's nest, " said the father. 

What joy! The loon's nest was on the very edge of the little tinyisland, hidden among the grasses, and in the nest were two biggrayish-brown eggs, with black spots, larger than any goose eggs. 

Marie and Louise shouted and laughed, but Beate felt strangelyfrightened and was very quiet. She begged her father to let her stand onthe island, only a minute, and would he let her take one of the eggs inher hand?

The father told her she must be very careful just lift the egg gentlybetween her two fingers, for if the bird noticed that the egg had beentouched she would not hatch it. 

And now Beate stood on the green floating island. She was excited whenshe bent down to pick up the grayish-brown egg, but lifted it carefullybetween two fingers. Now she might wish for anything in the wide, wideworld. 

And what do you think she wished for? To become a Princess of England?Oh, no, she knew something far better than that. Then her lips movedsoftly, and she whispered to herself: "I wish that Little Beate was withme once more, and would never, never leave me. " Carefully she put theegg back into the nest. 

What was the pink something her eye now caught sight of among the tallreeds close to the nest? It was her doll! Beate gave one shriek of joy. "Little Beate, my own Little Beate, " she sobbed, when she had her owndearest friend in her arms again. She covered her with tears and kisses, and held her tight in her arms as if she would never in the world lether go. 

Her father, Marie, and Louise stood by without saying a word. At lastthe father kissed his little girl, and lifted her on to the raft again. 

Such a birthday party as Beate had now! What did it matter that a year'srains and snows had faded Little Beate's cheeks and bleached her browncurls? She was the guest of honor, and sat on the prettiest chair. Shehad all the cookies and chocolate that she wanted. She was petted andloved; and at night, tired and happy, Big Beate slept with her littlefriend in her arms. 

HANS, THE OLD SOLDIER

Viggo was Beate's brother. He was 10 years old. Hans was Viggo's dearestfriend. The servants on the farm called the old Grenadier "Hans theWatchdog, " for they said when he talked to anyone it sounded like a dogbarking, and he looked as if he were ready to bite. But Viggo had oncesaid that the Grenadier's voice sounded like the rattle of a drum, andthe old soldier thought that was well said. It was from that time onthat Viggo and Hans were such good friends. 

Hans the Grenadier was six feet two, and a little more. He was straightas a stick. His hair was long and snowy white, and it hung in a braiddown his red soldier's coat. 

When he came walking up to the farm from his little cottage he alwayscarried the ax on the left shoulder, like a gun, and marched stiff andstraight, and kept step as if the sergeant were marching right at hisheels, commanding "Left, right! Left, right!"

Viggo knew that sometimes Old Hans was willing to tell about the time heserved in the army. He told of the battles, and first and last about the"Prince of 'Gustenberg. "

"That was a man!" said Hans. "When he looked at you it was as if hewould eat you in one bite. And such a nose between the eyes! The Princeof 'Gustenberg had a nose that shouted 'Get out of my way!' Andtherefore they did get put of his way, too, wherever he showed himself. 

"Do you know what the Prince of 'Gustenberg said when he spoke in frontof the troops? 'One thing is a shame, ' said he, 'and that is to turnyour back before retreat is called. ' And now you know what is a shame, my boy!"

Viggo sat silent a little while. 

"Have you never known a little boy to become a general?" he asked atlast. 

"No, I haven't, but I have known a drummer boy to become a sergeant. Hewas not much bigger than you. He could do everything you can think of. There was one thing, though, that was very hard for him to do, and thatwas to beat 'Retreat. ' 'Forward March' he knew how to drum; he neverforgot that, and sometimes he beat that instead of 'Retreat, ' and thecaptain got angry. Usually he wasn't punished either, because he hadonce saved the captain's life with a snowball. "

"With a snowball?" said Viggo. 

"Yes, I said snowball; he did not use greater means. We were rushing upa hill with the enemy in front of us. It was in Winter. The captain andthe drummer boy led the march; but as soon as they came to the top ofthe hill there stood the enemy in line. 'Aim!' commanded the enemy'sofficer, and all the guns pointed right at the captain. Quick aslightning the drummer boy grabbed a handful of snow and made a snowball, and, just as the officer opened his mouth to say 'Fire!' the drummer boythrew the snowball straight into the open mouth. He stood there, mouthwide open. Well, then the rest of us arrived and we had a hot fight. "

"Then was he made a sergeant?" asked Viggo. 

"Yes, when the Prince had heard of it. He was given the rank of asergeant, and something better even than that. The Prince called him 'myson. '"

"It was too bad that they didn't make him a general, " said Viggo. Headded half aloud: "Do you think I might become a general, Hans?"

"Well, well, listen to the spring chicken!" said Hans. "So it is generalyou want to be? Never mind, don't blush for that; it wasn't a badquestion. But it is very difficult, for you must learn much, oh, verymuch. "

"Mathematics, you mean?" said Viggo. "I have learned some of thatalready, and languages too. "

"Yes, that is well enough, but you must learn much more; you must learnto drill so that you don't make a mistake in a single movement. "

"Then do you think I might become a general?" continued Viggo. 

"Who knows? But it is difficult. The eyes are not bad, you have theright expression. But the nose--no it has not the correct shape. But, ofcourse, it may grow and curve in time, " said Old Hans. 

After that Viggo learned to drill and march from his old friend; but heoften looked in the mirror and wished with all his heart that the nosewould curve a little more. 

ALLARM, THE DOG

One afternoon Viggo was walking home from school with a bag of books onhis back. He marched straight as a stick, with a soldiery step. Old Hanswas standing outside the cottage waiting for him, and when Viggo haltedand saluted, the old man asked if he could guess what present there wasfor him at the house. 

"How does it look?" asked Viggo. 

"It is brown, " said Hans. "Now guess. "

"Oh, I suppose it is nothing but a lump of brown sugar from Aunt Beate, "said Viggo. 

"Try again!" said Hans, and grinned. "It is dark brown, it walks on fourfeet and laps milk. "

"Is it the puppy the Captain has promised me? Is it?" cried Viggo, andforgot all about standing straight and stiff before the Grenadier. 

"Right about! Of course that's what it is, " said Hans the Grenadier. 

But Viggo turned a somersault instead of "Right about" and ran to thehouse. On a piece of carpet close by the fireplace lay the little puppy, and he was beautiful. The body was dark brown, but the nose and pawswere light brown, and he had a light brown spot over each eye. WhenViggo sat down on the floor beside him and stroked the soft fur, helicked Viggo's hand. Soon they had become acquainted, and from that timeon Viggo watched, to see if the puppy grew, almost as carefully as hewatched his own nose to see if it had the proper curve so that he mightbecome a general. 

In the night, Allarm lay by Viggo's bed, and in the daytime sat besidehim when he was studying his lessons. The puppy was not allowed to goalong to school, but he met Viggo every afternoon, and barked with joyand wagged his tail. 

One winter morning Hans the Grenadier and some of the farm hands weregoing to the woods to haul timber with seven horses. Viggo had a holidaythat day, so he was allowed to go along. He put his rubber boots on, andwhistled for Allarm. The puppy jumped and barked when he noticed thatthey were off for the woods. But Viggo's father said it would be best toleave Allarm at home, for there were packs of wolves in the woods. Viggodid not like to leave Allarm behind, but when his father said so ofcourse he must do it. He took the strap and tied Allarm to the leg ofthe sofa. Then he put his old coat on the floor beside the dog, so thathe might be comfortable. But you can't imagine how Allarm whined andhowled when he understood that he was to be left tied up. 

Viggo told his father that he could not stand it to have Allarm so sad, happen what would, and he begged that he might take him along. 

The father smiled, and said if Viggo wanted to risk it he must take goodcare of the dog, and not let him out of his sight. Then they untied him, and you may imagine Allarm's joy. He jumped and barked so that themother had to put her fingers in her ears. 

The seven horses went in a line, one after the other, and Hans theGrenadier and Viggo and Allarm walked behind the last one. The forestwas so still you could not hear the least sound except the horses' hoofscrunching in the snow. Here and there Viggo saw the foot-prints of awolf beside the road. Then he always told Allarm to keep close by him, and that he did. 

But after awhile they left the road and turned into the thick forest. Hans the Grenadier waded in front, and the snow reached to his knees;then came the horses and the boys, one after the other, and at lastViggo. 

After a while they came to the logs and began to hitch them to thehorses. Then suddenly Viggo remembered Allarm; he had forgotten allabout the dog since they turned away from the road. He looked aroundhim, and just then he heard Allarm whine and howl somewhere in thedepths of the forest. 

As quick as lightning he grabbed an ax which Old Hans had driven into astump, and rushed in through the trees in the direction from which thehowling came. It was not easy; the snow reached far above his knees, buthe noticed nothing: he only feared he would be too late. Once he had tostop a little to draw breath, then again he heard the pitiful wail ofthe dog, but now it sounded fainter. Off Viggo rushed again, and at lasthe espied something between the trees. He did not see his dog, but threewolves stood in a circle, heads turned toward the center; the fourth onelay inside the ring and bit something in the snow. 

Viggo shouted so that it thundered in the forest, and rushed against thewolves with lifted ax. When he came within seven or eight feet of them, the three grey-legs took fright and sneaked, tails between legs, farinto the forest; but the fourth, who lay on top of Allarm, hated to giveup his prey. It was a large yellow wolf, and it looked up at Viggo andshowed sharp, bloody teeth. 

"Let go of Allarm! Let go of my dog, or I'll teach you!" he cried, andswung the ax high above his head. Then grey-legs sneaked slowly awayafter the others. He turned once and howled, and showed his teeth, andthen disappeared among the bushes. 

Far down in a hole in the snow lay Allarm. He was so bitten that hecould not jump to his feet; and, when Viggo lifted him, the blooddripped down on the snow. His whole body shivered, but he licked Viggo'shand. 

Just then Old Hans the Grenadier stood by Viggo's side. When he hadgained his breath after his hurried run, the old man cried very angrily:"If I did what you deserve I should have to whip you. Do you think itfit for a youngster like you to rush against a pack of wolves? If theyhad eaten you up alive before you had a chance to make a sound, whatwould you have said then?"

"Then I would have said: 'One thing is a shame, and that is to turn yourback before "retreat" is called, '" said Viggo, and looked sharply at theGrenadier. 

"Well said, my boy! The nose has not quite the right curve yet, but theeyes are there, and I do believe the heart, too, " said Old Hans. He tookthe dog from Viggo, and went home with both of them. 

THE BLACK POND

"Hurrah, the Black Pond is frozen! The ice is more than an inch thick, and there's a crowd of boys down there!" shouted one of Viggo'sclassmates one morning, as he thrust his frost-covered head through thedoor and swung his skates. It didn't take Viggo long before he got hisskates down from the nail, and ran off with his friend. And he was soanxious to get down to the lake that he forgot to whistle for Allarm. 

But Allarm had a fine nose. Just as soon as he had swallowed hisbreakfast he understood that Viggo was gone. Then he ran out huntingthrough the yard for Viggo's trail, and when he noticed that it didn'tlead to the school he knew he might follow. Then he rushed madly afterhim over the fields, and had caught up with him long before Viggo hadreached the cottage of Hans the Grenadier, which lay close by the lake. 

One thing Viggo had promised his father before he got permission to go, and that was that he would be very careful and not skate far out fromthe shore. Near the middle of the lake there was an air hole throughwhich warm air rose to the surface, and there the ice was never thick. 

And Viggo meant honestly to do what his father had told him, but now youshall hear what happened. 

When he came to the lake there was a crowd of boys there. There musthave been twenty or more. Most of them had skates on, but some only slidon the ice. They shouted and laughed so that you could not hear yourselfthink. 

As soon as Viggo had put on his skates he began to look around. Most ofthe boys he knew, for he had raced with them before, and he felt thathe could beat every one of them. But there was one boy who skated byhimself, and seemed not to care about the others. He was much biggerthan Viggo, and Viggo saw immediately that it would not be easy to beathim in a race. The boys called him Peter Lightfoot, and the name fittedhim. He could do the corkscrew, skate backward as easily as forward, andlie so low and near the ice that he might have kissed it. But all thisViggo could do, too. 

"Can you write your initials?" asked Viggo. Yes; Peter Lightfoot stoodon one leg and wrote "P. L. " in the ice, but the letters hung together. Then Viggo started. He ran, turned himself around backward and wrote "P. L. , " and between the "P. " and the "L. " he made a short jump so that theletters stood apart. 

"Hurrah for Viggo! He wrote Peter Lightfoot backward!" shouted the boys, and threw up their caps. Then the big boy blushed crimson, but he saidnothing. 

Now they began to play "Fox and Geese, " and everybody wanted Viggo to bethe fox. Peter wanted to play, too, for he was sure that Viggo could notcatch him. The race-course was scratched in the ice, and Viggo called, "Out, out, my geese, " and off they ran. But Viggo didn't care to runafter the little goslings, it was the big gander, Peter Lightfoot, hewished to catch. And that was a game!

Off they went, Peter in front and Viggo after him, back and forth incorners and circles, and all the other boys stopped and looked on. Everytime Viggo was right at his heels, Peter jumped and was far ahead of thefox again. At last Viggo had him cornered, but just as he would havecaught the goose, Peter stretched out his left leg and meant to tripViggo, but his skate caught in a frozen twig and--thump! there lay PeterLightfoot, the ice cracking all around him. 

"A good thing he wasn't made of glass, " laughed the boys and crowdedaround Peter. He got up and looked angrily around the circle of boys. 

"Now stand in a row, we'll jump, " said he, and the boys did. They piledhats and caps on top of each other first only three high. The whole rowjumped that, then four, then five, then six, but each time fewer gotover and those who pushed the top cap off with their skates had to stopplaying and must stand aside and look on. At last there were eight hatsand caps on top of each other, and now only Peter and Viggo were left tojump. 

"Put your cap on top!" said Peter, and Viggo did. But all the boysshouted that no one could ever make that jump. 

Now, Peter came so fast that the air whistled about him, jumped--andwhiff! he was over! He touched Viggo's cap the least little bit, but itdid not fall off the pile. 

"Hurrah for Peter! That was a masterly jump!" shouted the boys. "Viggocan never do that, he is too small, " said one. 

Viggo knew this was the test, and his heart beat fast. He ran with allhis might. Viggo flew over like a bird, and there was at least fourinches between his skates and the topmost cap. Then the boys crowdedaround him and shouted that Viggo was the champion. But Peter Lightfootlooked at him with a sly and evil eye, and you could see he was planningto play a trick on him. And, indeed, that's what he did. 

After a little while Peter took an apple out of his pocket and rolled itover the ice toward the airhole. "The one who dares to go for the applemay keep it!" he called. And many dared to try that, for the apple hadnot rolled far and the ice was strong enough. Now Peter threw an applefarther out, someone got that too. But at last he rolled one thatstopped right on the edge of the open water. One boy after the other ranout toward it, but when the ice began to crack they slowly turned aroundagain. 

"Don't do it, it is dangerous!" shouted Viggo. 

"Oh, yes, Viggo is great when things are easy, but if there is danger heturns pale as a ghost, " said Peter, and laughed aloud. 

This was more than Viggo could bear. He thought of what the Prince ofAugustenburg had said before the front, and he thought he must fetch theapple, come what might. But he forgot that "retreat" had been called, for his father had forbidden him to go near the hole. Allarm looked athim with grave eyes and wagged his tail slowly; he did not dare towhine. But that did not help. Viggo ran so that the wind whistled abouthis ears. The ice bent under his feet and cracked, but he glided on andon, and the ice did not break. Now he was close by the apple; he bentdown to pick it up--crash! The ice broke, and Viggo, head first, fellin. 

In a minute his head appeared above the hole. He swam for the ice andseized the edge, but a piece broke off every time he tried to climb up. 

At first the boys stood there dumb with fright. Then they all called tohim that he must try to hold on, but no one dared to help him, and noone thought of running for help. Peter Lightfoot had sneaked away whenViggo fell in. 

The best one of them all was Allarm. First he ran yelping around thehole, but when he saw Viggo appear again he snatched his wet cap betweenhis teeth and as fast as an arrow he ran toward home. When he reachedthe cottage of Hans the Grenadier the old soldier was just standing inthe open doorway. The dog put Viggo's stiff frozen cap at his feet, whined and cried, jumped up on the old man, held on to his coat anddragged him toward the ice. Hans understood right away what was thematter, snatched a rope and ran toward the lake, and in no time he stoodby the hole. He threw the rope to Viggo, who had begun to grow stifffrom the icy bath, and pulled him out. 

Viggo ran as fast as he could to the cottage of Hans, and when hereached the door he had an armor of shining ice over his whole body. When the Grenadier pulled off the boy's trousers they could stand bythemselves on the floor; they were frozen stiff. 

Viggo, of course, had to change from top to toe, and what should he puton? Hans went to his old chest and came back with his uniform. Viggolooked rather queer; the yellow knee-trousers reached to his ankles, andthe red coat with yellow cuffs and lapels hung on him like a bag. 

But he was wearing a real uniform! Hans looked at him. 

"Well, " he said, "I won't say much about the fit of the clothes, but whoknows you may wear a better looking uniform some day. The heart is ofthe right kind, and the nose--well it is doing better. "

 [L] From "The Bird and the Star, " translated by Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thompson; used by special arrangement with the publishers, Row, Peterson & Co. 

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration: STORIES FROM IRELAND]

THE FOUR WHITE SWANS

In the days of long ago there lived in the Green Isle of Erin a race ofbrave men and fair women--the race of the Dedannans. North, south, east, and west did this noble people dwell, doing homage to many chiefs. 

But one blue morning after a great battle the Dedannans met on a wideplain to choose a king. "Let us, " they said, "have one king over all. Let us no longer have many rulers. "

Forth from among the princes rose five well fitted to wield a scepterand to wear a crown, yet most royal stood Bove Derg and Lir. And forthdid the five chiefs wander, that the Dedannan folk might freely say towhom they would most gladly do homage as king. 

Not far did they roam, for soon there arose a great cry, "Bove Derg isKing! Bove Derg is King!" And all were glad, save Lir. 

But Lir was angry, and he left the plain where the Dedannan people were, taking leave of none, and doing Bove Derg no reverence. For jealousyfilled the heart of Lir. 

Then were the Dedannans wroth, and a hundred swords were unsheathed andflashed in the sunlight on the plain. "We go to slay Lir who doeth nothomage to our King and regardeth not the choice of the people. "

But wise and generous was Bove Derg, and he bade the warriors do no hurtto the offended prince. 

For long years did Lir live in discontent, yielding obedience to none. But at length a great sorrow fell upon him, for his wife, who was dearunto him, died, and she had been ill but three days. Loudly did helament her death, and heavy was his heart with sorrow. 

When tidings of Lir's grief reached Bove Derg, he was surrounded by hismightiest chiefs. "Go forth, " he said, "in fifty chariots go forth. TellLir I am his friend as ever, and ask that he come with you hither. Threefair foster-children are mine, and one may he yet have to wife, will hebut bow to the will of the people, who have chosen me their King. "

When these words were told to Lir, his heart was glad. Speedily hecalled around him his train, and in fifty chariots set forth. Nor didthey slacken speed until they reached the palace of Bove Derg by theGreat Lake. And there at the still close of day, as the setting rays ofthe sun fell athwart the silver waters, did Lir do homage to Bove Derg. And Bove Derg kissed Lir and vowed to be his friend forever. 

And when it was known throughout the Dedannan host that peace reignedbetween these mighty chiefs, brave men and fair women and littlechildren rejoiced, and nowhere were there happier hearts than in theGreen Isle of Erin. 

Time passed, and Lir still dwelt with Bove Derg in his palace by theGreat Lake. One morning the King said: "Full well thou knowest my threefair foster-daughters, nor have I forgotten my promise that one thoushouldst have to wife. Choose her whom thou wilt. "

Then Lir answered: "All are indeed fair, and choice is hard. But giveunto me the eldest, if it be that she be willing to wed. "

And Eve, the eldest of the fair maidens, was glad, and that day was shemarried to Lir, and after two weeks she left the palace by the GreatLake and drove with her husband to her new home. 

Happily dwelt Lir's household and merrily sped the months. Then wereborn unto Lir twin babes. The girl they called Finola, and her brotherdid they name Aed. 

Yet another year passed and again twins were born, but before the infantboys knew their mother, she died. So sorely did Lir grieve for hisbeautiful wife that he would have died of sorrow, but for the great lovehe bore his motherless children. 

When news of Eve's death reached the palace of Bove Derg by the GreatLake all mourned aloud, for love of Eve and sore pity for Lir and hisfour babes. And Bove Derg said to his mighty chiefs: "Great, indeed isour grief, but in this dark hour shall Lir know our friendship. Rideforth, make known to him that Eva, my second fair foster-child, shall intime become his wedded wife and shall cherish his lone babies. "

So messengers rode forth to carry these tidings to Lir, and in time Lircame again to the palace of Bove Derg by the Great Lake, and he marriedthe beautiful Eva and took her back with him to his little daughter, Finola, and to her three brothers, Aed and Fiacra and Conn. 

Four lovely and gentle children they were, and with tenderness did Evacare for the little ones who were their father's joy and the pride ofthe Dedannans. 

As for Lir, so great was the love he bore them, that at early dawn hewould rise, and, pulling aside the deerskin that separated hissleeping-room from theirs, would fondle and frolic with the childrenuntil morning broke. 

And Bove Derg loved them well-nigh as did Lir himself. Ofttimes would hecome to see them and ofttimes were they brought to his palace by theGreat Lake. 

And through all the Green Isle, where dwelt the Dedannan people, therealso was spread the fame of the beauty of the children of Lir. 

Time crept on, and Finola was a maid of twelve summers. Then did awicked jealousy find root in Eva's heart, and so did it grow that itstrangled the love which she had borne her sister's children. Inbitterness she cried: "Lir careth not for me; to Finola and her brothershath he given all his love. "

And for weeks and months Eva lay in bed planning how she might do hurtto the children of Lir. 

At length, one midsummer morn, she ordered forth her chariot, that withthe four children she might come to the palace of Bove Derg. 

When Finola heard it, her fair face grew pale, for in a dream had itbeen revealed unto her that Eva, her stepmother, should that day do adark deed among those of her own household. Therefore was Finola soreafraid, but only her large eyes and pale cheeks spake her woe, as sheand her brothers drove along with Eva and her train. 

On they drove, the boys laughing merrily, heedless alike of the blackshadow resting on their stepmother's brow, and of the pale, tremblinglips of their sister. As they reached a gloomy pass, Eva whispered toher attendants: "Kill, I pray you, these children of Lir, for theirfather careth not for me, because of his great love for them. Kill them, and great wealth shall be yours. "

But the attendants answered in horror: "We will not kill them. Fearful, O Eva, were the deed, and great is the evil that will befall thee, forhaving it in thine heart to do this thing. "

Then Eva, filled with rage, drew forth her sword to slay them with herown hand, but too weak for the monstrous deed, she sank back in thechariot. 

Onward they drove, out of the gloomy pass into the bright sunlight ofthe white road. Daisies with wide-open eyes looked up into the blue skyoverhead. Golden glistened the buttercups among the shamrock. From theditches peeped forget-me-not. Honeysuckle scented the hedgerows. Around, above, and afar, caroled the linnet, the lark, and the thrush. All wascolor and sunshine, scent and song, as the children of Lir drove onwardto their doom. 

Not until they reached a still lake were the horses unyoked for rest. There Eva bade the children undress and go bathe in the waters. And whenthe children of Lir reached the water's edge, Eva was there behind them, holding in her hand a fairy wand. And with the wand she touched theshoulder of each. And, lo! as she touched Finola, the maiden was changedinto a snow-white swan, and behold! as she touched Aed, Fiacra, andConn, the three brothers were as the maid. Four snow-white swans floatedon the blue lake, and to them the wicked Eva chanted a song of doom. 

As she finished, the swans turned toward her, and Finola spake:

"Evil is the deed thy magic wand hath wrought, O Eva, on us the childrenof Lir, but greater evil shall befall thee, because of the hardness andjealousy of thine heart. " And Finola's white swan-breast heaved as shesang of their pitiless doom. 

The song ended, again spake the swan-maiden: "Tell us, O Eva, when deathshall set us free. "

And Eva made answer: "Three hundred years shall your home be on thesmooth waters of this lone lake. Three hundred years shall ye pass onthe stormy waters of the sea betwixt Erin and Alba, and three hundredyears shall ye be tempest-tossed on the wild Western Sea. Until Decca bethe Queen of Largnen, and the good saint come to Erin, and ye hear thechime of the Christ-bell, neither your plaints nor prayers, neither thelove of your father Lir, nor the might of your King, Bove Derg, shallhave power to deliver you from your doom. But lone white swans though yebe, ye shall keep forever your own sweet Gaelic speech, and ye shallsing, with plaintive voices, songs so haunting that your music willbring peace to the souls of those who hear. And still beneath your snowyplumage shall beat the hearts of Finola, Aed, Fiacra and Conn, and stillforever shall ye be the children of Lir. "

 [Illustration: FOUR SNOW-WHITE SWANS FLOATED ON THE BLUE LAKE]

Then did Eva order the horses to be yoked to the chariot, and awaywestward did she drive. 

And swimming on the lone lake were four white swans. 

When Eva reached the palace of Bove Derg alone, greatly was he troubledlest evil had befallen the children of Lir. 

But the attendants, because of their great fear of Eva, dared not totell the King of the magic spell she had wrought by the way. ThereforeBove Derg asked, "Wherefore, O Eva, come not Finola and her brothers tothe palace this day?"

And Eva answered: "Because, O King, Lir no longer trusteth thee, therefore would he not let the children come hither. "

But Bove Derg believed not his foster-daughter, and that night hesecretly sent messengers across the hills to the dwelling of Lir. 

When the messengers came there, and told their errand, great was thegrief of the father. And in the morning with a heavy heart he summoned acompany of the Dedannans, and together they set out for the palace ofBove Derg. And it was not until sunset as they reached the lone shore ofLake Darvra, that they slackened speed. 

Lir alighted from his chariot and stood spellbound. What was thatplaintive sound? The Gaelic words, his dear daughter's voice moreenchanting even than of old, and yet, before and around, only the loneblue lake. The haunting music rang clearer, and as the last words diedaway, four snow-white swans glided from behind the sedges, and with awild flap of wings flew toward the eastern shore. There, stricken withwonder, stood Lir. 

"Know, O Lir, " said Finola, "that we are thy children, changed by thewicked magic of our stepmother into four white swans. " When Lir and theDedannan people heard these words, they wept aloud. 

Still spake the swan-maiden: "Three hundred years must we float on thislone lake, three hundred years shall we be storm-tossed on the watersbetween Erin and Alba, and three hundred years on the wild Western Sea. Not until Decca be the Queen of Largnen, not until the good saint cometo Erin and the chime of the Christ-bell be heard in the land, not untilthen shall we be saved from our doom. "

Then great cries of sorrow went up from the Dedannans, and again Lirsobbed aloud. But at the last silence fell upon his grief, and Finolatold how she and her brothers would keep forever their own sweet Gaelicspeech, how they would sing songs so haunting that their music wouldbring peace to the souls of all who heard. She told how, beneath theirsnowy plumage, the human hearts of Finola, Aed, Fiacra, and Conn shouldstill beat--the hearts of the children of Lir. "Stay with us to-night bythe lone lake, " she ended, "and our music will steal to you across itsmoonlit waters and lull you into peaceful slumber. Stay, stay with us. "

And Lir and his people stayed on the shore that night and until themorning glimmered. Then, with the dim dawn, silence stole over the lake. 

Speedily did Lir rise, and in haste did he bid farewell to his children, that he might seek Eva and see her tremble before him. 

Swiftly did he drive and straight, until he came to the palace of BoveDerg, and there by the waters of the Great Lake did Bove Derg meet him. "Oh, Lir, wherefore have thy children come not hither?" And Eva stood bythe King. 

Stern and sad rang the answer of Lir: "Alas! Eva, your foster-child, hath by her wicked magic changed them into four snow-white swans. On theblue waters of Lake Darvra dwell Finola, Aed, Fiacra, and Conn, andthence come I that I may avenge their doom. "

A silence as the silence of death fell upon the three, and all was stillsave that Eva trembled greatly. But ere long Bove Derg spake. Fierce andangry did he look, as, high above his foster-daughter, he held his magicwand. Awful was his voice as he pronounced her doom: "Wretched woman, henceforth shalt thou no longer darken this fair earth, but as a demonof the air shalt thou dwell in misery till the end of time. " And of asudden from out her shoulders grew black, shadowy wings, and, with apiercing scream, she swirled upward, until the awe-stricken Dedannanssaw nought save a black speck vanish among the lowering clouds. And as ademon of the air do Eva's black wings swirl her through space to thisday. 

But great and good was Bove Derg. He laid aside his magic wand and sospake: "Let us, my people, leave the Great Lake, and let us pitch ourtents on the shores of Lake Darvra. Exceeding dear unto us are thechildren of Lir, and I, Bove Derg, and Lir, their father, have vowedhenceforth to make our home forever by the lone waters where theydwell. "

And when it was told throughout the Green Island of Erin of the fate ofthe children of Lir and of the vow that Bove Derg had vowed, from north, south, east, and west did the Dedannans flock to the lake, until amighty host dwelt by its shores. 

And by day Finola and her brothers knew not loneliness, for in the sweetGaelic speech they told of their joys and fears; and by night the mightyDedannans knew no sorrowful memories, for by haunting songs were theylulled to sleep, and the music brought peace to their souls. 

Slowly did the years go by, and upon the shoulders of Bove Derg and Lirfell the long white hair. Fearful grew the four swans, for the time wasnot far off when they must wing their flight north to the wild sea ofMoyle. 

And when at length the sad day dawned, Finola told her brothers howtheir three hundred happy years on Lake Darvra were at an end, and howthey must now leave the peace of its lone waters for evermore. 

Then, slowly and sadly, did the four swans glide to the margin of thelake. Never had the snowy whiteness of their plumage so dazzled thebeholders, never had music so sweet and sorrowful floated to LakeDarvra's sunlit shores. As the swans reached the water's edge, silentwere the three brothers, and alone Finola chanted a farewell song. 

With bowed white heads did the Dedannan host listen to Finola's chant, and when the music ceased and only sobs broke the stillness, the fourswans spread their wings, and, soaring high, paused but for one shortmoment to gaze on the kneeling forms of Lir and Bove Derg. Then, stretching their graceful necks toward the north, they winged theirflight to the waters of the stormy sea that separates the blue Alba fromthe Green Island of Erin. 

And when it was known throughout the Green Isle that the four whiteswans had flown, so great was the sorrow of the people that they made alaw that no swan should be killed in Erin from that day forth. 

With hearts that burned with longing for their father and their friends, did Finola and her brothers reach the sea of Moyle. Cold were its wintrywaters, black and fearful were the steep rocks overhanging Alba'sfar-stretching coasts. From hunger, too, the swans suffered. Dark indeedwas all, and darker yet as the children of Lir remembered the stillwaters of Lake Darvra and the fond Dedannan host on its peaceful shores. Here the sighing of the wind among the reeds no longer soothed theirsorrow, but the roar of the breaking surf struck fresh terror in theirsouls. In misery and terror did their days pass, until one night theblack, lowering clouds overhead told that a great tempest was nigh. Thendid Finola call to her Aed, Fiacra, and Conn. "Beloved brothers, a greatfear is at my heart, for, in the fury of the coming gale, we may bedriven the one from the other. Therefore, let us say where we may hopeto meet when the storm is spent. "

And Aed answered: "Wise art thou, dear, gentle sister. If we be drivenapart, may it be to meet again on the rocky isle that has ofttimes beenour haven, for well known is it to us all, and from far can it be seen. "

Darker grew the night, louder raged the wind, as the four swans divedand rose again on the giant billows. Yet fiercer blew the gale, until atmidnight loud bursts of thunder mingled with the roaring wind, but, inthe glare of the blue lightning's flashes, the children of Lir beheldeach the snowy form of the other. The mad fury of the hurricane yetincreased, and the force of it lifted one swan from its wild home on thebillows, and swept it through the blackness of the night. Another bluelightning-flash, and each swan saw its loneliness, and uttered a greatcry of desolation. Tossed hither and thither by wind and wave, the whitebirds were well-nigh dead when dawn broke. And with the dawn fell calm. 

Swift as her tired wings would bear her, Finola sailed to the rockyisle, where she hoped to find her brothers. But alas! no sign was thereof one of them. Then to the highest summit of the rocks she flew. North, south, east, and west did she look, yet nought saw she save a waterywilderness. Now did her heart fail her, and she sang the saddest songshe had yet sung. 

As the last notes died Finola raised her eyes, and lo! Conn came slowlyswimming toward her with drenched plumage and head that drooped. And asshe looked, behold! Fiacra appeared, but it was as though his strengthfailed. Then did Finola swim toward her fainting brother and lend himher aid, and soon the twins were safe on the sunlit rock, nestling forwarmth beneath their sister's wings. 

Yet Finola's heart still beat with alarm as she sheltered her youngerbrothers, for Aed came not, and she feared lest he were lost forever. But, at noon, sailing he came over the breast of the blue waters, withhead erect and plumage sunlit. And under the feathers of her breast didFinola draw him, for Conn and Fiacra still cradled beneath her wings. "Rest here, while ye may, dear brothers, " she said. 

And she sang to them a lullaby so surpassing sweet that the sea-birdshushed their cries and flocked to listen to the sad, slow music. Andwhen Aed and Fiacra and Conn were lulled to sleep, Finola's notes grewmore and more faint and her head drooped, and soon she, too, sleptpeacefully in the warm sunlight. 

But few were the sunny days on the sea of Moyle, and many were thetempests that ruffled its waters. Still keener grew the winter frosts, and the misery of the four white swans was greater than ever before. Even their most sorrowful Gaelic songs told not half their woe. From thefury of the storm they still sought shelter on that rocky isle whereFinola had despaired of seeing her dear ones more. 

Slowly passed the years of doom, until one midwinter a frost more keenthan any known before froze the sea into a floor of solid black ice. Bynight the swans crouched together on the rocky isle for warmth, but eachmorning they were frozen to the ground and could free themselves onlywith sore pain, for they left clinging to the ice-bound rock the softdown of their breasts, the quills from their white wings, and the skinof their poor feet. 

And when the sun melted the ice-bound surface of the waters, and theswans swam once more in the sea of Moyle, the salt water entered theirwounds, and they well-nigh died of pain. But in time the down on theirbreasts and the feathers on their wings grew, and they were healed oftheir wounds. 

The years dragged on, and by day Finola and her brothers would flytoward the shores of the Green Island of Erin, or to the rocky blueheadlands of Alba, or they would swim far out into a dim gray wildernessof waters. But ever as night fell it was their doom to return to the seaof Moyle. 

One day, as they looked toward the Green Isle, they saw coming to thecoast a troop of horsemen mounted on snow-white steeds, and their armorglittered in the sun. 

A cry of great joy went up from the children of Lir, for they had seenno human form since they spread their wings above Lake Darvra, and flewto the stormy sea of Moyle. 

"Speak, " said Finola to her brothers, "speak, and say if these be notour own Dedannan folk. " And Aed and Fiacra and Conn strained their eyes, and Aed answered, "It seemeth, dear sister, to me, that it is indeed ourown people. "

As the horsemen drew nearer and saw the four swans, each man shouted inthe Gaelic tongue, "Behold the children of Lir!"

And when Finola and her brothers heard once more the sweet Gaelicspeech, and saw the faces of their own people, their happiness wasgreater than can be told. For long they were silent, but at lengthFinola spake. 

Of their life on the sea of Moyle she told, of the dreary rains andblustering winds, of the giant waves and the roaring thunder, of theblack frost, and of their own poor battered and wounded bodies. Of theirloneliness of soul, of that she could not speak. "But tell us, " she wenton, "tell us of our father, Lir. Lives he still, and Bove Derg, and ourdear Dedannan friends?"

Scarce could the Dedannans speak for the sorrow they had for Finola andher brothers, but they told how Lir and Bove Derg were alive and well, and were even now celebrating the Feast of Age at the house of Lir. "Butfor their longing for you, your father and friends would be happyindeed. "

Glad then and of great comfort were the hearts of Finola and herbrothers. But they could not hear more, for they must hasten to fly fromthe pleasant shores of Erin to the sea-stream of Moyle, which was theirdoom. And as they flew, Finola sang, and faint floated her voice overthe kneeling host. 

As the sad song grew fainter and more faint, the Dedannans wept aloud. Then, as the snow-white birds faded from sight, the sorrowful companyturned the heads of their white steeds from the shore, and rodesouthward to the home of Lir. 

And when it was told there of the sufferings of Finola and her brothers, great was the sorrow of the Dedannans. Yet was Lir glad that hischildren were alive, and he thought of the day when the magic spellwould be broken, and those so dear to him would be freed from theirbitter woe. 

Once more were ended three hundred years of doom, and glad were the fourwhite swans to leave the cruel sea of Moyle. Yet might they fly only tothe wild Western Sea, and tempest-tossed as before, here they in no wayescaped the pitiless fury of wind and wave. Worse than aught they hadbefore endured was a frost that drove the brothers to despair. Well-nighfrozen to a rock, they one night cried aloud to Finola that they longedfor death. And she, too, would fain have died. 

But that same night did a dream come to the swan-maiden, and, when sheawoke, she cried to her brothers to take heart. "Believe, dear brothers, in the great God who hath created the earth with its fruits and the seawith its terrible wonders. Trust in him, and he will yet save you. " Andher brothers answered, "We will trust. "

And Finola also put her trust in God, and they all fell into a deepslumber. 

When the children of Lir awoke, behold! the sun shone, and thereafter, until the three hundred years on the Western Sea were ended, neitherwind nor wave nor rain nor frost did hurt the four swans. 

On a grassy isle they lived and sang their wondrous songs by day, and bynight they nestled together on their soft couch, and awoke in themorning to sunshine and to peace. And there on the grassy island wastheir home, until the three hundred years were at an end. Then Finolacalled to her brothers, and tremblingly she told, and tremblingly theyheard, that they might now fly eastward to seek their own old home. 

Lightly did they rise on outstretched wings, and swiftly did they flyuntil they reached land. There they alighted and gazed each at theother, but too great for speech was their joy. Then again did theyspread their wings and fly above the green grass on and on, until theyreached the hills and trees that surrounded their old home. But, alas!only the ruins of Lir's dwelling were left. Around was a wildernessovergrown with rank grass, nettles, and weeds. 

Too downhearted to stir, the swans slept that night within the ruinedwalls of their old home, but, when day broke, each could no longer bearthe loneliness, and again they flew westward. And it was not until theycame to Inis Glora that they alighted. On a small lake in the heart ofthe island they made their home, and, by their enchanting music, theydrew to its shores all the birds of the west, until the lake came to becalled "The Lake of the Bird-flocks. "

Slowly passed the years, but a great longing filled the hearts of thechildren of Lir. When would the good saint come to Erin? When would thechime of the Christ-bell peal over land and sea?

One rosy dawn the swans awoke among the rushes of the Lake of theBird-flocks, and strange and faint was the sound that floated to themfrom afar. Trembling, they nestled close the one to the other, until thebrothers stretched their wings and fluttered hither and thither in greatfear. Yet trembling they flew back to their sister, who had remainedsilent among the sedges. Crouching by her side they asked, "What, dearsister, can be the strange, faint sound that steals across our island?"

With quiet, deep joy Finola answered: "Dear brothers, it is the chime ofthe Christ-bell that ye hear, the Christ-bell of which we have dreamedthrough thrice three hundred years. Soon the spell will be broken, soonour sufferings will end. " Then did Finola glide from the shelter of thesedges across the rose-lit lake, and there by the shore of the WesternSea she chanted a song of hope. 

Calm crept into the hearts of the brothers as Finola sang, and, as sheended, once more the chime stole across the isle. No longer did itstrike terror into the hearts of the children of Lir, rather as a noteof peace did it sink into their souls. 

Then, when the last chime died, Finola said, "Let us sing to the greatKing of Heaven and Earth. "

Far stole the sweet strains of the white swans, far across Inis Glora, until they reached the good Saint Kemoc, for whose early prayers theChrist-bell had chimed. 

And he, filled with wonder at the surpassing sweetness of the music, stood mute, but when it was revealed unto him that the voices he heardwere the voices of Finola and Aed and Fiacra and Conn, who thanked theHigh God for the chime of the Christ-bell, he knelt and also gavethanks, for it was to seek the children of Lir that the saint had cometo Inis Glora. 

In the glory of noon, Kemoc reached the shore of the little lake, andsaw four white swans gliding on its waters. And no need had the saint toask whether these indeed were the children of Lir. Rather did he givethanks to the High God who had brought him hither. 

Then gravely the good Kemoc said to the swans: "Come ye now to land, andput your trust in me, for it is in this place that ye shall be freedfrom your enchantment. "

These words the four white swans heard with great joy, and coming to theshore they placed themselves under the care of the saint. And he ledthem to his cell, and there they dwelt with him. And Kemoc sent to Erinfor a skilful workman, and ordered that two slender chains of shiningsilver be made. Betwixt Finola and Aed did he clasp one silver chain, and with the other did he bind Fiacra and Conn. 

Then did the children of Lir dwell with the holy Kemoc, and he taughtthem the wonderful story of Christ that he and Saint Patrick had broughtto the Green Isle. And the story so gladdened their hearts that themisery of their past sufferings was well-nigh forgotten, and they livedin great happiness with the saint. Dear to him were they, dear as thoughthey had been his own children. 

Thrice three hundred years had gone since Eva had chanted the fate ofthe children of Lir. "Until Decca be the Queen of Largnen, until thegood saint come to Erin, and ye hear the chime of the Christ-bell, shallye not be delivered from your doom. "

The good saint had indeed come, and the sweet chimes of the Christ-bellhad been heard, and the fair Decca was now the Queen of King Largnen. 

Soon were tidings brought to Decca of the swan-maiden and her threeswan-brothers. Strange tales did she hear of their haunting songs. Itwas told her, too, of their cruel miseries. Then begged she her husband, the King, that he would go to Kemoc and bring to her these human birds. 

But Largnen did not wish to ask Kemoc to part with the swans, andtherefore he did not go. 

Then was Decca angry, and swore she would live no longer with Largnen, until he brought the singing swans to the palace. And that same nightshe set out for her father's kingdom in the south. 

Nevertheless Largnen loved Decca, and great was his grief when he heardthat she had fled. And he commanded messengers to go after her, sayinghe would send for the white swans if she would but come back. ThereforeDecca returned to the palace, and Largnen sent to Kemoc to beg of himthe four white swans. But the messenger returned without the birds. 

Then was Largnen wroth, and set out himself for the cell of Kemoc. Buthe found the saint in the little church, and before the altar were thefour white swans. 

"Is it truly told me that you refused these birds to Queen Decca?" askedthe King. 

"It is truly told, " replied Kemoc. 

Then Largnen was more wroth than before, and seizing the silver chain ofFinola and Aed in the one hand, and the chain of Fiacra and Conn in theother, he dragged the birds from the altar and down the aisle, and itseemed as though he would leave the church. And in great fear did thesaint follow. 

But lo! as they reached the door, the snow-white feathers of the fourswans fell to the ground, and the children of Lir were delivered fromtheir doom. For was not Decca the bride of Largnen, and the good sainthad he not come, and the chime of the Christ-bell was it not heard inthe land?

But aged and feeble were the children of Lir. Wrinkled were their oncefair faces, and bent their little white bodies. 

At the sight Largnen, affrighted, fled from the church, and the goodKemoc cried aloud, "Woe to thee, O King!"

Then did the children of Lir turn toward the saint, and thus Finolaspake: "Baptize us now, we pray thee, for death is nigh. Heavy withsorrow are our hearts that we must part from thee, thou holy one, andthat in loneliness must thy days on earth be spent. But such is the willof the high God. Here let our graves be digged, and here bury our fourbodies, Conn standing at my right side, Fiacra at my left, and Aedbefore my face, for thus did I shelter my dear brothers for thrice threehundred years 'neath wing and breast. "

Then did the good Kemoc baptize the children of Lir, and thereafter thesaint looked up, and lo! he saw a vision of four lovely children withsilvery wings, and faces radiant as the sun; and as he gazed theyfloated ever upward, until they were lost in a mist of blue. Then wasthe good Kemoc glad, for he knew that they had gone to heaven. 

But, when he looked downward, four worn bodies lay at the church door, and Kemoc wept sore. 

And the saint ordered a wide grave to be digged close by the littlechurch, and there were the children of Lir buried, Conn standing atFinola's right hand, and Fiacra at her left, and before her face hertwin brother Aed. 

And the grass grew green above them, and a white tombstone bore theirnames, and across the grave floated morning and evening the chime of thesweet Christ-bell. 

THE MISHAPS OF HANDY ANDY

Andy Rooney was a fellow who had the most singularly ingenious knack ofdoing everything the wrong way. He grew up in his humble Irish home fullof mischief to the eyes of every one save his admiring mother. But, todo him justice, he never meant harm in the course of his life, and hewas most anxious to offer his services on every occasion to all whowould accept them. Here is the account of how Andy first went intoservice:

When Andy grew up to be what in country parlance is called "a brave lumpof a boy, " and his mother thought he was old enough to do something forhimself, she took him one day along with her to the squire's, andwaited outside the door, loitering up and down the yard behind thehouse, among a crowd of beggars and great lazy dogs that were thrustingtheir heads into every iron pot that stood outside the kitchen door, until chance might give her "a sight of the squire afore he wint out, orafore he wint in"; and, after spending her entire day in this idle way, at last the squire made his appearance, and Judy presented her son, whokept scraping his foot, and pulling his forelock, that stuck out like apiece of ragged thatch from his forehead, making his obeisance to thesquire, while his mother was sounding his praises for being the"handiest craythur alive, and so willin'--nothin' comes wrong to him. "

"I suppose the English of all this is, you want me to take him?" saidthe squire. 

"Throth, an' your honor, that's just it--if your honor would be plazed. "

"What can he do?"

"Anything, your honor. "

"That means _nothing_, I suppose, " said the squire. 

"Oh, no, sir! Everything, I mane, that you would desire him to do. "

To every one of these assurances on his mother's part Andy made a bowand a scrape. 

"Can he take care of horses?"

"The best of care, sir, " said the mother. 

"Let him come, then, and help in the stables, and we'll see what we cando. "

The next day found Andy duly installed in the office of stable-helper;and, as he was a good rider, he was soon made whipper-in to the hounds, and became a favorite with the squire, who was one of those rollicking"boys" of the old school, who let any one that chance threw in his waybring him his boots, or his hot water for shaving, or brush his coat, whenever it was brushed. The squire, you see, scorned the attentions ofa regular valet. But Andy knew a great deal more about horses than aboutthe duties of a valet. One morning he came to his master's room with hotwater and tapped at the door. 

"Who's that?" said the squire, who had just risen. 

"It's me, sir. "

"Oh, Andy! Come in. "

"Here's the hot water, sir, " said Andy, bearing an enormous tin can. 

"Why, what brings that enormous tin can here? You might as well bringthe stable-bucket. "

"I beg your pardon, sir, " said Andy, retreating. In two minutes moreAndy came back, and, tapping at the door, put in his head cautiously. 

 HOW ANDY BROUGHT HIS MASTER'S HOT WATER IN THE MORNING

"The maids in the kitchen, your honor, say there's not so much hot waterready. "

"Did I not see it a moment since in your hand?"

"Yes, sir; but that's not nigh the full o' the stable-bucket. "

"Go along, you stupid thief, and get me some hot water directly. "

"Will the can do, sir?"

"Ay, anything, so you make haste. "

Off posted Andy, and back he came with the can. 

"Where'll I put it, sir?"

"Throw this out, " said the squire, handing Andy a jug containing somecold water, meaning the jug to be replenished with the hot. 

Andy took the jug, and the window of the room being open, he verydeliberately threw the jug out. The squire stared with wonder, and atlast said:

"What did you do that for?"

"Sure, you _towld_ me to throw it out, sir. "

"Go out of this, you thick-headed villain, " said the squire, throwinghis boots at Andy's head; whereupon Andy retreated, and, like all stupidpeople, thought himself a very ill-used person. 

 WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ANDY OPENED A BOTTLE OF SODA AT THE DINNER

Andy was soon the laughing-stock of the household. When, for example, hefirst saw silver forks he declared that "he had never seen a silverspoon split that way before. " When told to "cut the cord" of asoda-water bottle on one occasion when the squire was entertaining anumber of guests at dinner, he "did as he was desired. "

He happened at that time to hold the bottle on the level with thecandles that shed light over the festive board from a large silverbranch, and the moment he made the incision, bang went the bottle ofsoda, knocking out two of the lights with the projected cork, whichstruck the squire himself in the eye at the foot of the table; while thehostess, at the head, had a cold bath down her back. Andy, when he sawthe soda-water jumping out of the bottle, held it from him at arm'slength, at every fizz it made, exclaiming: "Ow! Ow! Ow!" and at last, when the bottle was empty, he roared out: "Oh, oh, it's all gone!"

Great was the commotion. Few could resist laughter, except the ladies, who all looked at their gowns, not liking the mixture of satin andsoda-water. The extinguished candles were relighted, the squire got hiseyes open again, and the next time he perceived the butler sufficientlynear to speak to him, he said, in a low and hurried tone of deep anger, while he knit his brow:

"Send that fellow out of the room. " Suspended from indoor service, Andywas not long before he distinguished himself out of doors in such a wayas to involve his master in a coil of trouble, and, incidentally, toretard the good fortune that came to himself in the end. 

 THE SQUIRE SENDS ANDY TO THE POST-OFFICE FOR A LETTER

The squire said to him one day:

"Ride into the town and see if there's a letter for me. "

"Yes, sir, " said Andy. 

"Do you know where to go?" inquired his master. 

"To the town, sir, " was the reply. 

"But do you know where to go in the town?"

"No, sir. "

"And why don't you ask, you stupid thief?"

"Sure, I'd find out, sir. "

"Didn't I often tell you to ask what you're to do when you don't know?"

"Yes, sir. "

"And why don't you?"

"I don't like to be troublesome, sir. "

"Confound you!" said the squire, though he could not help laughing atAndy's excuse for remaining in ignorance. "Well, go to the post-office. You know the post-office, I suppose?" continued his master in sarcastictones. 

"Yes, sir; where they sell gunpowder. "

"You're right for once, " said the squire--for his Majesty's postmasterwas the person who had the privilege of dealing in the aforesaidcombustible. "Go, then, to the post-office, and ask for a letter for me. Remember, not gunpowder, but a letter. "

"Yes, sir, " said Andy, who got astride of his hack, and trotted away tothe post-office. 

On arriving at the shop of the postmaster (for that person carried on abrisk trade in groceries, gimlets, broadcloth, and linen-drapery), Andypresented himself at the counter, and said:

"I want a letther, sir, if you plaze. "

"Who do you want it for?" said the postmaster, in a tone which Andyconsidered an aggression upon the sacredness of private life. So Andy, in his ignorance and pride, thought the coolest contempt he could throwupon the prying impertinence of the postmaster was to repeat hisquestion. 

 ANDY HAS A VERY FOOLISH QUARREL WITH THE POSTMASTER

"I want a letther, sir, if you plaze. "

"And who do you want it for?" repeated the postmaster. 

"What's that to you?" said Andy. 

The postmaster, laughing at his simplicity, told him he could not tellwhat letter to give him unless he told him the direction. 

"The directions I got was to get a letther here--that's the directions. "

"Who gave you those directions?"

"The master. "

"And who's your master?"

"What consarn is that of yours?"

"Why, you stupid rascal, if you don't tell me his name, how can I giveyou a letter?"

"You could give it if you liked; but you're fond of axin' impidentquestions, bekase you think I'm simple. "

"Go along out o' this! Your master must be as great a goose as yourself, to send such a messenger. "

"Bad luck to your impidence!" said Andy. "Is it Squire Egan you dare tosay goose to?"

"Oh, Squire Egan's your master, then?"

"Yes. Have you anything to say agin it?"

"Only that I never saw you before. "

"Faith, then, you'll never see me agin if I have my own consint. "

"I won't give you any letter for the squire unless I know you're hisservant. Is there any one in the town knows you?"

"Plenty, " said Andy. "It's not every one is as ignorant as you. "

 WHY ANDY WOULD NOT PAY ELEVEN PENCE FOR A LETTER

Just at this moment a person to whom Andy was known entered the house, who vouched to the postmaster that he might give Andy the squire'sletter. "Have you one for me?"

"Yes, sir, " said the postmaster, producing one. "Fourpence. "

The gentleman paid the fourpence postage (the story, it must beremembered, belongs to the earlier half of the last century, before thedays of the penny post), and left the shop with his letter. 

"Here's a letter for the squire, " said the postmaster. "You've to pay meelevenpence postage. "

"What 'ud I pay elevenpence for?"

"For postage. "

"Get out wid you! Didn't I see you give Mr. Durfy a letther forfourpence this minit, and a bigger letther than this? And now you wantme to pay elevenpence for this scrap of a thing? Do you think I'm afool?"

"No; but I'm sure of it, " said the postmaster. 

"Well, you're welkum, to be sure; but don't be delayin' me now. Here'sfourpence for you, and gi' me the letther. "

"Go along, you stupid thief!" (the word "thief" was often used inIreland in the humorous way we sometimes use the word "rascal") said thepostmaster, taking up the letter, and going to serve a customer with amouse-trap. 

 WHY ANDY WENT BACK TO THE SQUIRE WITHOUT HIS LETTER

While this person and many others were served, Andy lounged up and downthe shop, every now and then putting in his head in the middle of thecustomers and saying:

"Will you gi' me the letther?"

He waited for above half an hour, and at last left, when he found itimpossible to get common justice for his master, which he thought hedeserved as well as another man; for, under this impression, Andydetermined to give no more than the fourpence. The squire, in themeantime, was getting impatient for his return, and when Andy made hisappearance, asked if there was a letter for him. 

"There is, sir, " said Andy. 

"Then give it to me. "

"I haven't it, sir. "

"What do you mean?"

"He wouldn't give it to me, sir. "

"Who wouldn't give it to you?"

 ANDY IS SENT BACK TO THE POST-OFFICE BY HIS ANGRY MASTER

"That owld chate beyant in the town--wanting to charge double for it. "

"Maybe it's a double letter. Why didn't you pay what he asked, sir?"

"Arrah, sir, why would I let you be chated? It's not a double letther atall; not above half the size o' one Mr. Durfy got before my face forfourpence. "

"You'll provoke me to break your neck some day, you vagabond! Ride backfor your life, and pay whatever he asks, and get me the letter. "

"Why, sir, I tell you he was sellin' them before my face for fourpenceapiece. "

"Go back, you scoundrel, or I'll horsewhip you; and if you're longerthan an hour, I'll have you ducked in the horsepond!"

Andy vanished, and made a second visit to the post-office. When hearrived two other persons were getting letters, and the postmaster wasselecting the epistles for each from a large parcel that lay before himon the counter. At the same time many shop customers were waiting to beserved. 

"I've come for that letther, " said Andy. 

"I'll attend to you by and by. "

"The masther's in a hurry. "

"Let him wait till his hurry's over. "

"He'll murther me if I'm not back soon. "

"I'm glad to hear it. "

 CALLED A "THIEF" IN JEST, ANDY DOES A LITTLE THIEVING IN EARNEST

While the postmaster went on with such provoking answers to theseappeals for despatch, Andy's eye caught the heap of letters which lay onthe counter. So, while certain weighing of soap and tobacco was goingforward, he contrived to become possessed of two letters from the heap, and, having effected that, waited patiently enough until it was thegreat man's pleasure to give him the missive directed to his master. 

Then did Andy bestride his hack, and, in triumph at his trick on thepostmaster, rattled along the road homeward as fast as the beast couldcarry him. He came into the squire's presence; his face beaming withdelight, and an air of self-satisfied superiority in his manner, quiteunaccountable to his master, until he pulled forth his hand, which hadbeen grubbing up his prizes from the bottom of his pocket, and, holdingthree letters over his head while he said: "Look at that!" he nextslapped them down under his broad fist on the table before the squire, saying:

"Well, if he did make me pay elevenpence, I brought your honor the wortho' your money, anyhow. "

Now, the letter addressed to the squire was from his law-agent, andconcerned an approaching election in the county. His old friend, Mr. Gustavus O'Grady, the master of Neck-or-Nothing Hall, was, it appeared, working in the interest of the honorable Sackville Scatterbrain, andagainst Squire Egan. 

 THE TROUBLE THAT CAME OF ANDY'S FAMOUS VISITS TO THE POST-OFFICE

This unexpected information threw him into a great rage, in the midstof which his eye caught sight of one of the letters Andy had takenfrom the post-office. This was addressed to Mr. O'Grady, and as itbore the Dublin postmark, Mr. Egan yielded to the temptation of makingthe letter gape at its extremities--this was before the days of theenvelope--and so read its contents, which were highly uncomplimentary tothe reader. As Mr. O'Grady was much in debt financially to Mr. Egan, thelatter decided to put all the pressure of the law upon his one-timefriend, and, to save trouble with the authorities, destroyed both of thestolen letters and pledged Andy to secrecy. 

Neck-or-Nothing Hall was carefully guarded from intruders, and Mr. Egan's agent, Mr. Murphy, greatly doubted if it would be possible toserve its master with a writ. Our friend Andy, however, unconsciouslysolved the difficulty. 

Being sent over to the law-agent's for the writ, and at the same timebidden to call at the apothecary's for a prescription, he managed to mixup the two documents, leaving the writ, without its accompanying letter, at the apothecary's, whence it was duly forwarded to Neck-or-NothingHall with certain medicines for Mr. O'Grady, who was then lying ill inbed. The law-agent's letter, in its turn, was brought to Squire Egan byAndy, together with a blister which was meant for Mr. O'Grady. Imaginethe recipient's anger when he read the following missive and, on openingthe package it was with, found a real and not a figurative blister:

"MY DEAR SQUIRE: I send you the blister for O'Grady as you insist on it;but I think you won't find it easy to serve him with it. 

 "Your obedient and obliged, "MURTOUGH MURPHY. "

The result in his case was a hurried ride to the law-agent's and theadministration to that devoted personage of a severe hiding. This wasfollowed by a duel, in which, happily, neither combatant was hurt. Then, after the firing, satisfactory explanations were made. On Mr. O'Grady'spart, there was an almost simultaneous descent upon the unsuspectingapothecary, and the administration to the man of drugs and blisters of aterrible drubbing. Next a duel was arranged between the two old friends. Andy again distinguished himself. 

 HOW ANDY WAS FINALLY DISCHARGED FROM THE SERVICE OF SQUIRE EGAN

When his employer's second was not looking, Andy thought he would doSquire Egan a good turn by inserting bullets in his pistols before theywere loaded. The intention of Andy was to give Mr. Egan the advantage ofdouble bullets, but the result was that, when the weapons were loaded, Andy's bullets lay between the powder and the touch-hole. Mr. O'Gradymissed his aim twice, and Mr. Egan missed his fire. The cause beingdiscovered, Andy was unmercifully chased and punished by the second, andignominiously dismissed from Mr. Egan's service. 

By an accident, Andy shortly afterward was the means of driving a Mr. Furlong to Squire Egan's place instead of to Squire O'Grady's. Mr. Furlong was an agent from Dublin Castle, whose commission it was to aidthe cause of the Honorable Mr. Scatterbrain. Of course, Andy, when hewas told, on taking the place of the driver of the vehicle in whichMr. Furlong was traveling, to drive this important personage to "thesquire's, " at once jumped to the conclusion that by "the squire's" wasmeant Mr. Egan's. Here, before the mistake was found out by the victim, Mr. Furlong was unburdened of much important information. While thisprocess was going on at Mr. Egan's, a hue and cry was on foot at Mr. O'Grady's, for the lost Mr. Furlong, and poor, blundering Andy wasarrested and charged with murdering him. 

 ANOTHER OF ANDY'S BLUNDERS HAS A HAPPY RESULT FOR HIS OLD MASTER

He was soon set free and taken into Mr. O'Grady's service when Mr. Furlong had made his appearance before the owner of Neck-or-NothingHall. But a clever rascal named Larry Hogan divined by accident and thehelp of his native wit the secret of the stolen letters, and Andy wasforced by terror to flee from Neck-or-Nothing Hall. 

His subsequent adventures took him through the heat of the election, atwhich his ingenuity was displayed in unwittingly stopping up the mouthof the trumpet on which the Honorable Mr. Scatterbrain's supportersrelied to drown Mr. Egan's speeches and those of his men. He thus did agood turn to his old master without knowing it, having merely imitatedthe action of the trumpeter, who had pretended to cork up the instrumentbefore momentarily laying it aside. 

When his fortunes seemed to be at their lowest ebb, Andy was discoveredto be the rightful heir to the Scatterbrain title and estates, hisclaims to which were set forth in the second of the two letters stolenfrom the post-office, which had been destroyed by the squire without hisreading it. 

 ANDY TURNS OUT TO BE OF GENTLE BIRTH AND COMES INTO HIS OWN

Soon afterward, through his old master's influence, Andy was taken toLondon, and by dint of much effort remedied many of the defects of hisearly education. Then, marrying his cousin, Onoah, who had shared hismother's cabin in the old days, and to save whom from a desperado Andyhad, this time knowingly, braved great personal danger, our hero settleddown to the enjoyment of a life such as he had never dreamed of in hishumble days. 

THE GREEDY SHEPHERD

Once upon a time there lived in the South Country two brothers, whosebusiness it was to keep sheep. No one lived on that plain but shepherds, who watched their sheep so carefully that no lamb was ever lost. 

There was none among them more careful than these two brothers, one ofwhom was called Clutch, and the other Kind. Though brothers, no two mencould be more unlike in disposition. Clutch thought of nothing but howto make some profit for himself, while Kind would have shared his lastmorsel with a hungry dog. This covetous mind made Clutch keep all hisfather's sheep when the old man was dead, because he was the eldestbrother, allowing Kind nothing but the place of a servant to help him inlooking after them. 

For some time the brothers lived peaceably in their father's cottage, and kept their flock on the grassy plain, till new troubles arosethrough Clutch's covetousness. 

One midsummer it so happened that the traders praised the wool ofClutch's flock more than all they found on the plain, and gave him thehighest price for it. That was an unlucky thing for the sheep, for afterthat Clutch thought he could never get enough wool off them. At shearingtime nobody clipped so close as Clutch, and, in spite of all Kind coulddo or say, he left the poor sheep as bare as if they had been shaven. Kind didn't like these doings, but Clutch always tried to persuade himthat close clipping was good for the sheep, and Kind always tried tomake him think he had got all the wool. Still Clutch sold the wool, andstored up his profits, and one midsummer after another passed. Theshepherds began to think him a rich man, and close clipping might havebecome the fashion but for a strange thing which happened to his flock. 

The wool had grown well that summer. He had taken two crops off thesheep, and was thinking of a third, when first the lambs, and then theewes, began to stray away; and, search as the brothers would, none ofthem was ever found again. The flocks grew smaller every day, and allthe brothers could find out was that the closest clipped were the firstto go. 

Kind grew tired of watching, and Clutch lost his sleep with vexation. The other shepherds, to whom he had boasted of his wool and his profits, were not sorry to see pride having a fall. Still the flock melted awayas the months wore on, and when the spring came back nothing remainedwith Clutch and Kind but three old ewes. The two brothers were watchingthese ewes one evening when Clutch said:

"Brother, there is wool to be had on their backs. "

"It is too little to keep them warm, " said Kind. "The east wind stillblows sometimes. " But Clutch was off to the cottage for the bag andshears. 

Kind was grieved to see his brother so covetous, and to divert his mindhe looked up at the great hills. As he looked, three creatures likesheep scoured up a cleft in one of the hills, as fleet as any deer; andwhen Kind turned he saw his brother coming with the bag and shears, butnot a single ewe was to be seen. Clutch's first question was, what hadbecome of them; and when Kind told him what he saw, the eldest brotherscolded him for not watching better. 

"Now we have not a single sheep, " said he, "and the other shepherds willhardly give us room among them at shearing time or harvest. If you liketo come with me, we shall get service somewhere. I have heard my fathersay that there were great shepherds living in old times beyond thehills; let us go and see if they will take us for sheep-boys. "

Accordingly, next morning Clutch took his bag and shears, Kind took hiscrook and pipe, and away they went over the plain and up the hills. Allwho saw them thought that they had lost their senses, for no shepherdhad gone there for a hundred years, and nothing was to be seen but widemoorlands, full of rugged rocks, and sloping up, it seemed, to the verysky. 

By noon they came to the stony cleft up which the three old ewes hadscoured like deer; but both were tired, and sat down to rest. As theysat there, there came a sound of music down the hills as if a thousandshepherds had been playing on their pipes. Clutch and Kind had neverheard such music before, and, getting up, they followed the sound up thecleft, and over a wide heath, till at sunset they came to the hill-top, where they saw a flock of thousands of snow-white sheep feeding, whilean old man sat in the midst of them playing merrily on his pipe. 

"Good father, " said Kind, for his eldest brother hung back and wasafraid, "tell us what land is this, and where we can find service; formy brother and I are shepherds, and can keep flocks from straying, though we have lost our own. "

"These are the hill pastures, " said the old man, "and I am the ancientshepherd. My flocks never stray, but I have employment for you. Which ofyou can shear best?"

"Good father, " said Clutch, taking courage, "I am the closest shearer inall the plain country; you would not find enough wool to make a threadon a sheep when I have done with it. "

"You are the man for my business, " said the old shepherd. "When the moonrises, I will call the flock you have to shear. "

The sun went down and the moon rose, and all the snow-white sheep laidthemselves down behind him. Then up the hills came a troop of shaggywolves, with hair so long that their eyes could scarcely be seen. Clutchwould have fled for fear, but the wolves stopped, and the old man said:

"Rise and shear--this flock of mine have too much wool on them. "

Clutch had never shorn wolves before, yet he went forward bravely; butthe first of the wolves showed its teeth, and all the rest raised such ahowl that Clutch was glad to throw down his shears and run behind theold man for safety. 

"Good father, " cried he, "I will shear sheep, but not wolves!"

"They must be shorn, " said the old man, "or you go back to the plains, and them after you; but whichever of you can shear them will get thewhole flock. "

On hearing this, Kind caught up the shears Clutch had thrown away in hisfright, and went boldly up to the nearest wolf. To his great surprise, the wild creature seemed to know him, and stood quietly to be shorn. Kind clipped neatly, but not too closely, and when he had done with one, another came forward, till the whole flock were shorn. Then the mansaid:

"You have done well; take the wool and the flock for your wages, returnwith them to the plain, and take this brother of yours for a boy to keepthem. "

Kind did not much like keeping wolves, but before he could answer theyhad all changed into the very sheep which had strayed away, and the hairhe had cut off was now a heap of fine and soft wool. 

Clutch gathered it up in his bag, and went back to the plain with hisbrother. They keep the sheep together till this day, but Clutch hasgrown less greedy, and Kind alone uses the shears. 

THE COBBLERS AND THE CUCKOO

Once upon a time there stood in the midst of a bleak moor, in the NorthCountry, a certain village; all its inhabitants were poor, for theirfields were barren, and they had little trade. But the poorest of themall were two brothers called Scrub and Spare, who followed the cobbler'scraft, and had but one stall between them. It was a hut built of clayand wattles. There they worked in most brotherly friendship, though withlittle encouragement. 

The people of that village were not extravagant in shoes, and bettercobblers than Scrub and Spare might be found. Nevertheless, Scrub andSpare managed to live between their own trade, a small barley-field, anda cottage-garden, till one unlucky day when a new cobbler arrived in thevillage. He had lived in the capital city of the kingdom, and, by hisown account, cobbled for the queen and the princesses. His awls weresharp, his lasts were new; he set up his stall in a neat cottage withtwo windows. 

The villagers soon found out that one patch of his would outwear two ofthe brothers'. In short, all the mending left Scrub and Spare, and wentto the new cobbler. So the brothers were poor that winter, and whenChristmas came they had nothing to feast on but a barley loaf, a pieceof musty bacon, and some small beer of their own brewing. But they madea great fire of logs, which crackled and blazed with red embers, and inhigh glee the cobblers sat down to their beer and bacon. The door wasshut, for there was nothing but cold moonlight and snow outside; but thehut, strewn with fir boughs, and ornamented with holly, looked cheerfulas the ruddy blaze flared up and rejoiced their hearts. 

"Long life and good fortune to ourselves, brother!" said Spare. "I hopeyou will drink that toast, and may we never have a worse fire onChristmas--but what is that?"

Spare set down the drinking-horn, and the brothers listened astonished, for out of the blazing root they heard "Cuckoo! cuckoo!" as plain asever the spring bird's voice came over the moor on a May morning. 

"It is something bad, " said Scrub, terribly frightened. 

"May be not, " said Spare. 

And out of the deep hole at the side which the fire had not reached flewa large gray cuckoo, and lit on the table before them. Much as thecobblers had been surprised, they were still more so when the bird beganto speak. 

"Good gentlemen, " it said slowly, "can you tell me what season this is?"

"It's Christmas, " answered Spare. 

"Then a merry Christmas to you!" said the cuckoo. "I went to sleep inthe hollow of that old root one evening last summer, and never woke tillthe heat of your fire made me think it was summer again; but now, sinceyou have burned my lodging, let me stay in your hut till the springcomes round--I only want a hole to sleep in--and when I go on my travelsnext summer be assured that I will bring you some present for yourtrouble. "

"Stay, and welcome, " said Spare. 

"I'll make you a good warm hole in the thatch. But you must be hungryafter that long sleep. Here is a slice of barley bread. Come, help us tokeep Christmas!"

The cuckoo ate up the slice, drank water from the brown jug--for hewould take no beer--and flew into a snug hole which Spare scooped forhim in the thatch of the hut. So the snow melted, the heavy rains came, the cold grew less, the days lengthened, and one sunny morning thebrothers were awakened by the cuckoo shouting its own cry to let themknow that at last the spring had come. 

"Now, " said the bird, "I am going on my travels over the world to tellmen of the spring. There is no country where trees bud or flowers bloomthat I will not cry in before the year goes round. Give me another sliceof barley bread to keep me on my journey, and tell me what present Ishall bring you at the end of the twelve months. "

"Good Master Cuckoo, " said Scrub, "a diamond or pearl would help suchpoor men as my brother and I to provide something better than barleybread for your next entertainment. "

"I know nothing of diamonds or pearls, " said the cuckoo; "they are inthe hearts of rocks and the sands of rivers. My knowledge is only ofthat which grows on the earth. But there are two trees hard by the wellthat lies at the world's end. One of them is called the golden tree, forits leaves are all of beaten gold. As for the other, it is always green, like a laurel. Some call it the wise, and some the merry tree. Itsleaves never fall, but they that get one of them keep a blithe heart inspite of all misfortunes, and can make themselves as merry in a poor hutas in a handsome palace. "

"Good Master Cuckoo, bring me a leaf off that tree!" cried Spare. 

"Now, brother, don't be foolish!" said Scrub. "Think of the leaves ofbeaten gold! Dear Master Cuckoo, bring me one of them. "

Before another word could be spoken, the cuckoo had flown. 

The brothers were poorer than ever that year; nobody would send them asingle shoe to mend. The new cobbler said, in scorn, they should come tobe his apprentices; and Scrub and Spare would have left the village butfor their barley field, their cabbage garden, and a maid calledFairfeather, whom both the cobblers had courted for more than sevenyears. 

At the end of the winter Scrub and Spare had grown so poor and raggedthat Fairfeather thought them beneath her notice. Old neighbors forgotto invite them to wedding feasts or merry-makings; and they thought thecuckoo had forgotten them, too, when at daybreak, on the first of April, they heard a hard beak knocking at their door, and a voice crying:

"Cuckoo! cuckoo! Let me in. "

Spare ran to open the door, and in came the cuckoo, carrying on one sideof his bill a golden leaf, larger than that of any tree in the NorthCountry; and in the other, one like that of the common laurel, only ithad a fresher green. 

"Here!" it said, giving the gold to Scrub and the green to Spare. 

So much gold had never been in the cobbler's hands before, and he couldnot help exulting over his brother. 

"See the wisdom of my choice, " he said, holding up the large leaf ofgold. "As for yours, as good might be plucked from any hedge. I wonder asensible bird should carry the like so far. "

"Good Master Cobbler, " cried the cuckoo, finishing the slice, "yourconclusions are more hasty than courteous. If your brother bedisappointed this time, I go on the same journey every year, and, foryour hospitable entertainment, will think it no trouble to bring each ofyou whichever leaf you desire. "

"Darling cuckoo, " cried Scrub, "bring me a golden one. "

And Spare, looking up from the green leaf on which he gazed, said:

"Be sure to bring me one from the merry tree. "

And away flew the cuckoo once again. 

Scrub vowed that his brother was not fit to live with a respectable man;and taking his lasts, his awls, and his golden leaf, he left the wattlehut, and went to tell the villagers. 

They were astonished at the folly of Spare, and charmed with Scrub'sgood sense, particularly when he showed them the golden leaf, and toldthem that the cuckoo would bring him one every spring. The new cobblerimmediately took him into partnership; the greatest people sent himtheir shoes to mend; Fairfeather smiled graciously upon him, and in thecourse of that summer they were married, with a grand wedding feast, atwhich the whole village danced, except Spare, who was not invited. 

As for Scrub, he established himself with Fairfeather in a cottage closeby that of the new cobbler, and quite as fine. There he mended shoes toeverybody's satisfaction, had a scarlet coat for holidays, and a fatgoose for dinner every wedding-day anniversary. Spare lived on in theold hut and worked in the cabbage garden. Every day his coat grew moreragged, and the hut more weather-beaten; but people remarked that henever looked sad or sour; and the wonder was that, from the time theybegan to keep his company the tinker grew kinder to the poor ass withwhich he traveled the country, the beggar-boy kept out of mischief, andthe old woman was never cross to her cat or angry with the children. 

I know not how many years passed in this manner, when a certain greatlord, who owned that village, came to the neighborhood. His castle wasancient and strong, with high towers and a deep moat. All the country, as far as one could see from the highest turret, belonged to this lord;but he had not been there for twenty years, and would not have comethen, only he was melancholy. 

The cause of his grief and sorrow was that he had been prime minister atcourt, and in high favor, till somebody told the Crown Prince that hehad spoken disrespectfully concerning the turning out of his RoyalHighness's toes, whereon the North Country lord was turned out ofoffice, and banished to his own estate. There he lived for some weeks invery bad temper; but one day in the harvest time his lordship chanced tomeet Spare gathering watercresses at a meadow stream, and fell intotalk. 

How it was nobody could tell, but from the hour of that discourse thegreat lord cast away his melancholy, and went about with a noble train, making merry in his hall, where all travelers were entertained and allthe poor were welcome. 

This strange story soon spread through the North Country, and a greatcompany came to the cobbler's hut--rich men who had lost their money, poor men who had lost their friends, beauties who had grown old, witswho had gone out of fashion--all came to talk with Spare, and, whatevertheir troubles, all went home merry. The rich gave him presents, thepoor gave him thanks. 

By this time his fame had reached the Court. There were a great manydiscontented people there besides the King, who had lately fallen intoill humor because a neighboring princess, with seven islands for herdowry, would not marry his eldest son. So a royal messenger was sent toSpare, with a command that he should go to court. 

"To-morrow is the first of April, " said Spare, "and I will go with youtwo hours after sunrise. "

The messenger lodged all night at the castle, and the cuckoo came atsunrise with the merry leaf. 

"Court is a fine place, " he said, when the cobbler told him he wasgoing; "but I cannot go there--they would lay snares and catch me. So becareful of the leaves I have brought you, and give me a farewell sliceof barley bread. "

Spare was sorry to part with the cuckoo, but he gave him a thick slice, and, having sewed up the leaves in the lining of his leather doublet, heset out with the messenger on his way to the royal court. 

His coming caused great surprise; but scarce had his Majesty conversedwith him half an hour when the princess and her seven islands wereforgotten, and orders given that a feast for all comers should bespread in the banquet-hall. The princes of the blood, the great lordsand ladies, ministers of state, and judges of the land, after thatdiscoursed with Spare, and the more they talked the lighter grew theirhearts, so that such changes had never been seen. 

As for Spare, he had a chamber assigned him in the palace, and a seat atthe King's table; one sent him rich robes and another costly jewels; butin the midst of all his grandeur he still wore the leathern doublet, which the palace servants thought remarkably mean. One day the King'sattention being drawn to it by the chief page, his Majesty inquired whySpare didn't give it to a beggar. But the cobbler said:

"High and mighty monarch, this doublet was with me before silk andvelvet came--I find it easier to wear than the court cut; moreover, itserves to keep me humble, by recalling the days when it was my holidaygarment. "

 [Illustration: "GOOD GENTLEMEN, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT SEASON THIS IS?"]

The King thought this a wise speech, and commanded that no one shouldfind fault with the leathern doublet. So things went, and Spareprospered at court until the day when he lost his doublet, of which weread in the next story. 

THE MERRY COBBLER AND HIS COAT

Spare, the merry cobbler, of whom we read in the last story, was treatedlike a prince at the King's court; and the news of his good fortunereached his brother Scrub in the moorland cottage one first of April, when the cuckoo came again with two golden leaves. 

"Think of that!" said Fairfeather. "Here we are spending our lives inthis humdrum place, and Spare making his fortune at court with two orthree paltry green leaves! What would they say to our golden ones? Letus make our way to the King's palace. "

Scrub thought this excellent reasoning. So, putting on their holidayclothes, Fairfeather took her looking-glass and Scrub his drinking-horn, which happened to have a very thin rim of silver, and, each carrying agolden leaf carefully wrapped up that none might see it till theyreached the palace, the pair set out in great expectation. 

How far Scrub and Fairfeather journeyed we cannot say, but when the sunwas high and warm at noon they came into a wood feeling both tired andhungry. 

"Let us rest ourselves under this tree, " said Fairfeather, "and look atour golden leaves to see if they are quite safe. "

In looking at the leaves, and talking of their fine prospects, Scrub andFairfeather did not perceive that a very thin old woman had slipped frombehind the tree, with a long staff in her hand and a great wallet by herside. 

"Noble lord and lady, " she said, "will ye condescend to tell me where Imay find some water to mix a bottle of mead which I carry in my wallet, because it is too strong for me?"

As the old woman spoke, she pulled out a large wooden bottle such asshepherds used in the ancient times, corked with leaves rolled together, and having a small wooden cup hanging from its handle. 

"Perhaps ye will do me the favor to taste, " she said. "It is only madeof the best honey. I have also cream cheese and a wheaten loaf here, ifsuch honorable persons as you would not think it beneath you to eat thelike. "

Scrub and Fairfeather became very condescending after this speech. Theywere now sure that there must be some appearance of nobility about them;besides, they were very hungry, and, having hastily wrapped up thegolden leaves, they assured the old woman they were not at all proud, notwithstanding the lands and castles they had left behind them in theNorth Country, and would willingly help to lighten the wallet. 

The old woman was a wood-witch; her name was Buttertongue; and all hertime was spent in making mead, which, being boiled with curious herbsand spells, had the power of making all who drank it fall asleep anddream with their eyes open. She had two dwarfs of sons; one was namedSpy, and the other Pounce. Wherever their mother went, they were not farbehind; and whoever tasted her mead was sure to be robbed by the dwarfs. 

Scrub and Fairfeather sat leaning against the old tree. The cobbler hada lump of cheese in his hand; his wife held fast a hunch of bread. Theireyes and mouths were both open, but they were dreaming of great grandeurat court, when the old woman raised her shrill voice:

"What ho, my sons! Come here, and carry home the harvest!"

No sooner had she spoken than the two little dwarfs darted out of theneighboring thicket. 

"Idle boys!" cried the mother. "What have ye done to-day to help ourliving?"

"I have been to the city, " said Spy, "and could see nothing. These arehard times for us--everybody minds his business so contentedly sincethat cobbler came. But here is a leathern doublet which his page threwout of the window; it's of no use, but I brought it to let you see I wasnot idle. " And he tossed down Spare's doublet, with the merry leaves init, which he had been carrying like a bundle on his little back. 

To explain how Spy came by it, it must be said that the forest was notfar from the great city where Spare lived in such high esteem. Allthings had gone well with the cobbler till the King thought that it wasquite unbecoming to see such a worthy man without a servant. His Majestytherefore appointed one of his own pages to wait upon him. The name ofthis youth was Tinseltoes, and nobody in all the court had grandernotions. Nothing could please him that had not gold or silver about it, and his grandmother feared he would hang himself for being appointedpage to a cobbler. As for Spare, the honest man had been so used toserve himself that the page was always in the way, but his merry leavescame to his assistance. 

Tinseltoes took wonderfully to the new service. Some said it was becauseSpare gave him nothing to do but play at bowls all day on the palacegreen. Yet one thing grieved the heart of Tinseltoes, and that was hismaster's leathern doublet, and at last, finding nothing better would do, the page got up one fine morning earlier than his master, and tossed theleathern doublet out of the window into a lane, where Spy found it. 

"That nasty thing!" said the old woman. "Where is the good in it?"

By this time Pounce had taken everything of value from Scrub andFairfeather--the looking-glass, the silver-rimmed horn, the husband'sscarlet coat, the wife's gay mantle, and, above all, the golden leaves, which so rejoiced old Buttertongue and her sons that they threw theleathern doublet over the sleeping cobbler for a jest, and went off totheir hut in the heart of the forest. 

The sun was going down when Scrub and Fairfeather awoke from dreamingthat they had been made a lord and a lady, and sat clothed in silk andvelvet, feasting with the King in his palace hall. It was a greatdisappointment to find their golden leaves and all their best thingsgone. Scrub tore his hair, and vowed to take the old woman's life; whileFairfeather lamented sore. But Scrub, feeling cold for want of his coat, put on the leathern doublet without asking whence it came. 

Scarcely was it buttoned on when a change came over him. He addressedsuch merry discourse to Fairfeather that, instead of lamentations, shemade the wood ring with laughter. Both busied themselves in setting up ahut of boughs, in which Scrub kindled a fire with a flint of steel, which, together with his pipe, he had brought unknown to Fairfeather, who had told him the like was never heard of at court. Then they found apheasant's nest at the root of an old oak, made a meal of roasted eggs, and went to sleep on a heap of long green grass which they had gathered, with nightingales singing all night long in the old trees about them. 

In the meantime Spare had got up and missed his doublet. Tinseltoes, ofcourse, said he knew nothing about it. The whole palace was searched, and every servant questioned, till all the court wondered why such afuss was made about an old leathern doublet. That very day thingscame back to their old fashion. Quarrels began among the lords, andjealousies among the ladies. The King said his subjects did not pay himhalf enough taxes, the Queen wanted more jewels, the servants took totheir old bickerings and got up some new ones. Spare found himselfgetting wonderfully dull, and very much out of place, and nobles beganto ask what business a cobbler had at the King's table; till at last hisMajesty issued a decree banishing the cobbler forever from court, andconfiscating all his goods in favor of Tinseltoes. 

That royal edict was scarcely published before the page was in fullpossession of his rich chamber, his costly garments, and all thepresents the courtiers had given him; while Spare was glad to make hisescape out of the back window, for fear of the angry people. 

The window from which Spare let himself down with a strong rope was thatfrom which Tinseltoes had tossed the doublet, and as the cobbler camedown late in the twilight, a poor woodman, with a heavy load of fagots, stopped and stared in astonishment. 

"What's the matter, friend?" said Spare. "Did you never see a man comingdown from a back window before?"

"Why, " said the woodman, "the last morning I passed here a leatherndoublet came out of that window, and I'll be bound you are the owner ofit. "

"That I am, friend, " said the cobbler with great eagerness. "Can youtell me which way that doublet went?"

"As I walked on, " the woodman said, "a dwarf called Spy, bundled it upand ran off into the forest. "

Determined to find his doublet, Spare went on his way, and was soonamong the tall trees; but neither hut nor dwarf could he see. At lastthe red light of a fire, gleaming through a thicket, led him to the doorof a low hut. It stood half open, as if there was nothing to fear, andwithin he saw his brother Scrub snoring loudly on a bed of grass, at thefoot of which lay his own leathern doublet; while Fairfeather, in akirtle made of plaited rushes, sat roasting pheasants' eggs by the fire. 

"Good evening, mistress!" said Spare. 

The blaze shone on him, but so changed was her brother-in-law with hiscourt life that Fairfeather did not know him, and she answered far morecourteously than was her wont. 

"Good evening, master! Whence come ye so late? But speak low, for mygood man has sorely tired himself cleaving wood, and is taking a sleep, as you see, before supper. "

"A good rest to him, " said Spare, perceiving he was not known. "I comefrom the court for a day's hunting, and have lost my way in theforest. "

"Sit down and have a share of our supper, " said Fairfeather; "I will putsome more eggs in the ashes; and tell me the news of court. "

"Did you never go there?" said the cobbler. "So fair a dame as you wouldmake the ladies marvel. "

"You are pleased to flatter, " said Fairfeather; "but my husband has abrother there, and we left our moorland village to try our fortune also. An old woman enticed us with fair words and strong drink at the entranceof this forest, where we fell asleep and dreamt of great things; butwhen we woke everything had been robbed from us, and, in place of all, the robbers left him that old leathern doublet, which he has worn eversince, and never was so merry in all his life, though we live in thispoor hut. "

"It is a shabby doublet, that, " said Spare, taking up the garment, andseeing that it was his own, for the merry leaves were still sewed in itslining. "It would be good for hunting in, however. Your husband would beglad to part with it, I dare say, in exchange for this handsome cloak. "And he pulled off the green mantle and buttoned on the doublet, much toFairfeather's delight, for she shook Scrub, crying:

"Husband, husband, rise and see what a good bargain I have made!"

Scrub rubbed his eyes, gazed up at his brother, and said:

"Spare, is that really you? How did you like the court, and have youmade your fortune?"

"That I have, brother, " said Spare, "in getting back my own goodleathern doublet. Come, let us eat eggs, and rest ourselves here thisnight. In the morning we will return to our own old hut, at the end ofthe moorland village, where the Christmas cuckoo will come and bring usleaves. "

Scrub and Fairfeather agreed. So in the morning they all returned, andfound the old hut little the worse for wear and weather. The neighborscame about them to ask the news of court, and see if they had made theirfortune. Everybody was astonished to find the three poorer than ever, but somehow they liked to be back to the hut. Spare brought out thelasts and awls he had hidden in a corner; Scrub and he began their oldtrade, and the whole North Country found out that there never weresuch cobblers. Everybody wondered why the brothers had not been moreappreciated before they went away to the court of the King, but, fromthe highest to the lowest, all were glad to have Spare and Scrub backagain. 

They mended the shoes of lords and ladies as well as the common people;everybody was satisfied. Their custom increased from day to day, and allthat were disappointed, discontented, or unlucky, came to the hut as inold times, before Spare went to court. 

The hut itself changed, no one knew how. Flowering honeysuckle grew overits roof; red and white roses grew thick about its door. Moreover, theChristmas cuckoo always came on the first of April, bringing threeleaves of the merry tree--for Scrub and Fairfeather would have no moregolden ones. So it was with them when the last news came from the NorthCountry. 

 [Illustration]

 "Here you have the faery songs, the golden, glad, and airy songs, When all the world was morning, and when every heart was true; Songs of darling Childhood, all a-wander in the wildwood-- Songs of life's first loveliness--songs that speak of you!"

 Thomas Burke

THE STORY OF CHILD CHARITY

BY FRANCES BROWNE

Once upon a time there lived a little girl who had neither father normother: they both died when she was very young, and left their daughterto the care of her uncle, who was the richest farmer in all thatcountry. He had houses and lands, flocks and herds, many servants towork about his house and fields, a wife who had brought him a greatdowry, and two fair daughters. 

Now, it happened that though she was their near relation, they despisedthe orphan girl, partly because she had no fortune, and partly becauseof her humble, kindly disposition. It was said that the more needy anddespised any creature was, the more ready was she to befriend it; onwhich account the people of the West Country called her Child Charity. Her uncle would not own her for his niece, her cousins would not keepher company, and her aunt sent her to work in the dairy, and to sleep inthe back garret. All the day she scoured pails, scrubbed dishes, andwashed crockery-ware; but every night she slept in the back garret assound as a princess could sleep in her palace. 

One day during the harvest season, when this rich farmer's corn had beenall cut down and housed, he invited the neighbors to a harvest supper. The West Country people came in their holiday clothes, and they weremaking merry, when a poor old woman came to the back door, begging forbroken victuals and a night's lodging. Her clothes were coarse andragged; her hair was scanty and gray; her back was bent; her teeth weregone. In short she was the poorest and ugliest old woman that ever camebegging. The first who saw her was the kitchen-maid, and she orderedher off; but Child Charity, hearing the noise, came out from her seat atthe foot of the lowest table, and asked the old woman to take her shareof the supper, and sleep that night in her bed in the back garret. Theold woman sat down without a word of thanks. Child Charity scraped thepots for her supper that night, and slept on a sack among the lumber, while the old woman rested in her warm bed; and next morning, before thelittle girl awoke, she was up and gone, without so much as saying thankyou. 

Next day, at supper-time, who should come to the back door but the oldwoman, again asking for broken victuals and a night's lodging. No onewould listen to her, till Child Charity rose from her seat and kindlyasked her to take her supper, and sleep in her bed. Again the old womansat down without a word. Child Charity scraped the pots for her supper, and slept on the sack. In the morning the old woman was gone; but forsix nights after, as sure as the supper was spread, there was she at thedoor, and the little girl regularly asked her in. 

Sometimes the old woman said, "Child, why don't you make this bedsofter? and why are your blankets so thin?" But she never gave her aword of thanks nor a civil good-morning. At last, on the ninth nightfrom her first coming, her accustomed knock came to the door, and thereshe stood with an ugly dog that no herd-boy would keep. 

"Good-evening, my little girl, " she said, when Child Charity opened thedoor. "I will not have your supper and bed to-night--I am going on along journey to see a friend; but here is a dog of mine, whom nobody inall the West Country will keep for me. He is a little cross, and notvery handsome; but I leave him to your care till the shortest day in allthe year. "

When the old woman had said the last word, she set off with such speedthat Child Charity lost sight of her in a minute. The ugly dog began tofawn upon her, but he snarled at everybody else. It was with greattrouble that Child Charity got leave to keep him in an old ruinedcow-house. The little girl gave him part of all her meals; and when thehard frost came, took him to her own back garret, because the cow-housewas damp and cold in the long nights. The dog lay quietly on some strawin a corner. Child Charity slept soundly, but every morning the servantssaid to her:

"What great light and fine talking was that in your back garret?"

"There was no light but the moon shining in through the shutterlesswindow, and no talk that I heard, " said Child Charity, and she thoughtthey must have been dreaming. But night after night, when any of themawoke in the dark, they saw a light brighter and clearer than theChristmas fire, and heard voices like those of lords and ladies in theback garret. 

At length, when the nights were longest, the little parlor-maid creptout of bed when all the rest were sleeping, and set herself to watchat the keyhole. She saw the dog lying quietly in the corner, ChildCharity sleeping soundly in her bed, and the moon shining through theshutterless window; but an hour before daybreak the window opened, andin marched a troop of little men clothed in crimson and gold. Theymarched up with great reverence to the dog, where he lay on the straw, and the most richly clothed among them said:

"Royal Prince, we have prepared the banquet hall. What will yourHighness please that we do next?"

"You have done well, " said the dog. "Now prepare the feast, and see thatall things are in the best style, for the Princess and I mean to bring astranger, who never feasted in our halls before. "

"Your Highness's commands shall be obeyed, " said the little man, makinganother reverence; and he and his company passed out of the window. By-and-by there came in a company of little ladies clad in rose-coloredvelvet, and each carrying a crystal lamp. They also walked with greatreverence up to the dog, and the gayest among them said:

"Royal Prince, we have prepared the tapestry. What will your Highnessplease that we do next?"

"You have done well, " said the dog. "Now prepare the robes, and let allthings be in the first fashion, for the Princess and I will bring withus a stranger, who never feasted in our halls before. "

"Your Highness's commands shall be obeyed, " said the little lady, makinga low curtsey; and she and her company passed out through the window, which closed quietly behind them. The dog stretched himself out upon thestraw, the little girl turned in her sleep, and the moon shone in on theback garret. The parlor-maid was much amazed, and told the story to hermistress; but her mistress called her a silly girl to have such foolishdreams, and scolded her. 

Nevertheless, Child Charity's aunt thought there might be something init worth knowing; so next night, when all the house was asleep shecrept out of bed, and watched at the back garret door. There she sawexactly what the maid had told her. 

The mistress could not close her eyes any more than the maid, fromeagerness to tell the story. She woke up Child Charity's rich unclebefore daybreak; but when he heard it he laughed at her for a foolishwoman. But that night the master thought he would like to see what wenton in the back garret; so when all the house was asleep he set himselfto watch at the crevice in the door. The same thing happened that themaid and the mistress saw. 

The master could not close his eyes any more than the maid or themistress for thinking of this strange sight. He remembered having heardhis grandfather say that somewhere near his meadows there lay a path, which led to the fairies' country, and he concluded that the doings inhis back garret must be fairy business, and the ugly dog a person ofvery great account. 

Accordingly, he made it his first business that morning to get ready afine breakfast of roast mutton for the ugly dog, and carry it to himin the old cow-house; but not a morsel would the dog taste. On thecontrary, he snarled at the master, and would have bitten him if he hadnot run away with his mutton. 

Just as the family were sitting down to supper that night, the ugly dogbegan to bark, and the old woman's knock was heard at the back door. Child Charity opened it, when the old woman said:

"This is the shortest day in all the year, and I am going home to hold afeast after my travels. I see you have taken good care of my dog, andnow, if you will come with me to my house, he and I will do our best toentertain you. Here is our company. "

As the old woman spoke, there was a sound of far-off flutes and bugles, then a glare of lights; and a great company, clad so grandly that theyshone with gold and jewels, came in open chariots, covered with gildingand drawn by snow-white horses. The first and finest of the chariots wasempty. The old woman led Child Charity to it by the hand, and the uglydog jumped in before her. No sooner were the old woman and her dogwithin the chariot than a marvelous change passed over them, for theugly old woman turned at once to a beautiful young Princess, while theugly dog at her side started up a fair young Prince, with nut-brown hairand a robe of purple and silver. 

"We are, " said they, as the chariots drove on, and the little girl satastonished, "a Prince and Princess of Fairy-land; and there was a wagerbetween us whether or not there were good people still to be found inthese false and greedy times. One said 'Yes, ' and the other said 'No';and I have lost, " said the Prince, "and must pay for the feast andpresents. "

Child Charity went with that noble company into a country such as shehad never seen. They took her to a royal palace, where there was nothingbut feasting and dancing for seven days. She had robes of pale-greenvelvet to wear, and slept in a chamber inlaid with ivory. When the feastwas done, the Prince and Princess gave her such heaps of gold and jewelsthat she could not carry them, but they gave her a chariot to go homein, drawn by six white horses, and on the seventh night, when thefarmer's family had settled in their own minds that she would nevercome back, and were sitting down to supper, they heard the sound of hercoachman's bugle, and saw her alight with all the jewels and gold at thevery back door where she had brought in the ugly old woman. The fairychariot drove away, and never came back to that farmhouse after. ButChild Charity scrubbed and scoured no more, for she became a great ladyeven in the eyes of her proud cousins, who were now eager to pay herhomage. 

THE SELFISH GIANT

BY OSCAR WILDE

Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used togo and play in the Giant's garden. 

It was a large, lovely garden, with soft green grass. Here and thereover the grass stood beautiful flower-like stars; and there were twelvepeach-trees that in the Springtime broke out into delicate blossoms ofpink and pearl, and in the Autumn bore rich fruit. The birds sat on thetrees and sang so sweetly that the children used to stop their games inorder to listen to them. "How happy we are here!" they cried to eachother. 

One day the Giant came back. He had been to visit his friend the CornishOgre, and had stayed with him for seven years. After the seven yearswere over he had said all that he had to say, and he determined toreturn to his own castle. When he arrived, he saw the children playingin the garden. 

"What are you doing there?" he cried in a gruff voice, and the childrenran away. 

"My own garden is my own garden, " said the Giant; "anyone can understandthat, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself. " So he built ahigh wall all around it, and put up a notice board:

 TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED

He was a very selfish Giant. 

The poor children had now nowhere to play. They tried to play on theroad, but the road was very dusty, and full of hard stones, and they didnot like it. They used to wander round the high wall when their lessonswere over, and talk about the beautiful garden inside. "How happy wewere there, " they said to one another. 

Then the Spring came, and all over the country there were littleblossoms and little birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant itwas still Winter. The birds did not care to sing in it, as there were nochildren; and the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower putits head out from the grass, but when it saw the notice board it was sosorry for the children that it slipped back into the ground again, andwent off to sleep. The only people who were pleased were the Snow andthe Frost. "Spring has forgotten this garden, " they cried "so we willlive here all the year round. " The Snow covered up the grass with hergreat white cloak, and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then theyinvited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. He was wrapped infurs, and he roared all day about the garden, and blew the chimney-potsdown. "This is a delightful spot, " he said, "we must ask the Hail on avisit. " So the Hail came. Every day for three hours he rattled on theroof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ranround the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in gray, and hisbreath was like ice. 

"I cannot understand why the Spring is so late in coming, " said theSelfish Giant, as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold, whitegarden; "I hope there will be a change in the weather. "

But the Spring never came, nor the Summer. The Autumn gave golden fruitto every garden, but to the Giant's garden she gave none. "He is tooselfish, " she said. So it was always Winter there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about through thetrees. 

One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some lovelymusic. It sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it must be theKing's musicians passing by. It was really only a little linnet singingoutside his window, but it was so long since he had heard a bird sing inhis garden that it seemed to him to be the most beautiful music in theworld. Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Windceased roaring, and a delicious perfume came to him through the opencasement. "I believe the Spring has come at last, " said the Giant; andhe jumped out of bed and looked out. 

What did he see?

He saw a most wonderful sight. Through a little hole in the wall thechildren had crept in and they were sitting in the branches of trees. Inevery tree that he could see there was a little child. And the treeswere so glad to have the children back again that they had coveredthemselves with blossoms, and were waving their arms gently above thechildren's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering withdelight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass andlaughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest corner of the garden, and in it was standing alittle boy. He was so small that he could not reach up to the branchesof the tree, and he was wandering all around it, crying bitterly. Thepoor tree was still quite covered with frost and snow, and the NorthWind was blowing and roaring above it. "Climb up! little boy, " said thetree, and it bent its branches down as low as it could; but the boy wastoo tiny. 

And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. "How selfish I havebeen!" he said; "now I know why the Spring would not come here. I willput that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knockdown the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for everand ever. " He was really very sorry for what he had done. 

So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and wentout into the garden. But when the children saw him they all ran away. Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears thathe did not see the Giant coming. And the Giant stole up behind him andtook him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree. And the treebroke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and thelittle boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant'sneck, and kissed him. And the other children, when they saw that theGiant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them camethe Spring. "It is your garden now, little children, " said the Giant, and he took a great ax and knocked down the wall. And when the peoplewere going to market at 12 o'clock they found the Giant playing with thechildren in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen. 

All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant tobid him good-by. 

"But where is your little companion?" he said, "the boy I put into thetree. " The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him. 

"We don't know, " answered the children; "he has gone away. "

"You must tell him to be sure and come here to-morrow, " said the Giant. But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and hadnever seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad. 

Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played withthe Giant. But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his firstlittle friend, and often spoke of him. "How I would like to see him!" heused to say. 

Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could notplay about any more, so he sat in a huge, armchair, and watched thechildren at their games, and admired his garden. "I have many beautifulflowers, " he said, "but the children are the most beautiful of all. "

One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing. Hedid not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Springasleep, and that the pretty flowers were resting. 

Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. Itcertainly was a marvelous sight. In the farthest corner of the gardenwas a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms. Its branches wereall golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath itstood the little boy he had loved. 

Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden. Hehastened across the grass, and came near to the child. And when he camequite close his face grew red with anger, and he said: "Who hath daredto wound thee?" For on the palms of the child's hands were the prints oftwo nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet. 

"Who hath dared to wound thee?" cried the Giant; "tell me, that I maytake my big sword and slay him. "

"Nay!" answered the child; "but these are the wounds of Love. "

"Who art thou?" said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and heknelt before the little child. 

And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him:

"You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me tomy garden, which is Paradise. "

And when the children ran in that afternoon they found the Giant lyingdead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms. 

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration: STORIES FROM GREAT BRITAIN]

 THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS, OR, THE GRATEFUL RAVEN AND THE PRINCE

_A Scotch Tale_

Once upon a time a great contest took place between every wild creature. The son of the King of Tethertown went to see the battle; but he arrivedlate, and saw only one fight. This was between a huge Raven and a Snake. The King's son ran to aid the Raven, and with one blow took the head offthe Snake. The Raven was very grateful, and said: "Now, I will give theea sight; come upon my wings. "

They flew over seven mountains, seven glens, and seven moors. Thatnight, at the Raven's request, the King's son slept in the house ofone of the Raven's sisters. He was to meet the Raven next morning foranother trip; and for three days they journeyed. On the third morning ahandsome boy, who was carrying a bundle, came to meet the King's son. 

This boy told how he had been under a spell; and he was at once releasedfrom it by the power of the King's son. In return, he gave him thebundle which he carried, and cautioned him not to open it until he foundthe place where he desired to dwell. 

On the homeward trip the bundle became very heavy, and the King's sonstopped in a grove to open it. Immediately a beautiful castle sprangup before him. He was very sorry, for he wanted to live in the glenopposite his father's palace. Just then a Giant appeared and offered toput the castle back in the bundle on condition that the Prince give himhis first son when he was seven years old. The Prince promised, and soonhe had his castle in the right place. At the palace door there was abeautiful maiden, who asked him to marry her. The wedding took place atonce, and all were happy. 

Before many years they had a son; and then the Prince, who was now King, remembered his promise to the Giant. When the boy was seven years oldthe Giant came to claim him. The Queen said she would save her child. She dressed the cook's son in fine clothes, and gave him to the Giant. But the Giant feared some treachery, and said to the boy: "If thy fatherhad a rod what would he do with it?"

"He would beat the dogs if they went near the King's meat, " answered theboy. 

Then the Giant knew he had been deceived, and he went again to thepalace. Again the Queen tried to trick him by giving him the butler'sson. When the Giant found he had been fooled a second time, he stalkedback to the castle, and made a terrible scene. The castle shook underthe soles of his feet as he cried: "Out here with thy son, or the stonethat is highest in thy dwelling shall be the lowest. " So, in great fear, the Queen gave her son to the Giant. 

The lad lived many years in the Giant's home. On a certain holiday, whenthe Giant was away, the boy heard sweet music. Looking up the stairs hesaw a beautiful little maiden. She beckoned to him to come to her, thensaid: "To-morrow you may choose between my two sisters for your bride;but, I pray you, say you will take only me. My father is forcing me tomarry a Prince whom I hate. "

On the morrow the Giant said: "Now, Prince, you may go home to-morrow, and take with you either of my two eldest daughters as your wife. "

The Giant was very angry when the Prince said: "I want only the prettylittle one. "

The Giant in a great rage imposed three tasks upon the King's son. Hehad to clean a byre, or cow-shed, which had not been cleaned for sevenyears. Secondly, he was to thatch the byre with bird's down; and lastly, he must climb a tall fir-tree and bring five eggs, unbroken, from themagpie's nest for the Giant's breakfast. These tasks were too great forany mortal to accomplish, but the youth was willing to try. 

He worked all morning on the dirty byre, and accomplished practicallynothing. At noon, while he was resting under a tree, the Giant'sdaughter came and talked to him. In utter dejection he showed herthe impossibility of completing the task by nightfall. With words ofsympathy and encouragement, she left him and went on her way. After shehad gone, the Prince in great weariness fell asleep under the tree. 

It was evening before he awoke. His first thought was of the unfinishedtask, and he jumped to his feet, though only half awake. He looked atthe byre, and then he rubbed his eyes; and then he looked at the byreagain, for, lo! it was clean. Some one had come to his aid while heslept. When the Giant came home, he knew the King's son had not cleanedthe byre, but he could not prove it, so he had to keep his word. 

The second and third tasks were done in much the same way. The Princewould try very hard to do the work alone, and when he was just about tofail the Giant's daughter would come and encourage the youth. 

In getting the eggs from the magpie's nest, the Giant's daughter was ina great hurry, because she felt her father's breath on the back of herneck. In her haste she left her little finger in the magpie's nest, butthere was no time to go back and get it. 

When the third task was finished, the Giant ordered them to get readyfor the wedding. 

The Giant tried to deceive the King's son at the very last. The threedaughters were dressed alike, and brought before him, and he was tochoose which one was his promised bride. But the Prince knew her by thehand on which the little finger was missing; so all was well. 

After the wedding the bride and bridegroom went to their chamber. TheGiant's daughter said: "Quick! quick! We must fly. My father plans tokill you. "

Then she took an apple and cut it into four parts, two of which she puton the bed; one piece was placed by the door, and the other outside. After that was done, they hurried out to the stables, mounted theblue-gray filly, and were off. 

In the meantime the Giant was waiting for them to go to sleep. At lasthe could wait no longer, so he called out: "Are you asleep yet?" And theapple at the head of the bed answered: "No, we are not asleep. " Hecalled out the same thing three more times, and the three other piecesof apple answered him the same way. When the piece outside the doorreplied, the Giant knew he had been fooled, and that the couple hadfled. He started after them in hot pursuit. 

Just at dawn the Giant's daughter said: "My father is close behind us, because his breath is burning my neck. Put thy hand in the filly's earand throw behind thee whatever thou findest. "

The Prince did so, and at once a thick forest of blackthorn sprang upbehind them. 

At noon the Giant's daughter again said: "I feel my father's breath onmy neck. " So the Prince reached into the filly's ear and took a piece ofstone, which he threw behind him. At once a huge rock was between themand the Giant. 

By evening the Giant was close upon them for the third time. Out of thefilly's ear the King's son took a bladder of water, and threw it behindhim. A fresh-water lake then stretched twenty miles behind them. By thistime the Giant was coming so fast that he could not stop, but plungedheadlong into the lake and was drowned. 

When they approached the Prince's home, the maiden said she would waitfor him by the well. "Go thou and greet thy father, then come back forme. But let neither man nor creature kiss thee, or thou wilt forget me. "

The youth was welcomed by all his family, but he kissed none of them. Asmisfortune would have it, however, an old grayhound jumped upon him andlicked his face, and then he did not remember the Giant's daughter. 

She waited a long time for his return. After a while she wandered to anold Shoemaker's cottage and asked him to take her to the palace, thatshe might see the newly returned Prince. The Shoemaker, greatly awed byher unusual beauty, said: "Come with me. I am well acquainted with theservants at the castle, and will arrange for you to see the company. "

The pretty woman attracted much attention at the feast. The gentlefolktook her to the banquet hall and gave her a glass of cordial. Just asshe was going to drink, a flame appeared in the glass, and a goldenpigeon and a silver pigeon sprang out of the flame. At the same time, three grains of barley fell upon the floor. 

The two pigeons flew down and ate the barley grains. As they ate, thegolden pigeon said: "Do you remember how I cleaned the byre?" Three moregrains of barley fell to the ground, and the golden pigeon again spoke:"Do you remember how I thatched the byre?" Still three more grains fellto the ground, and the golden pigeon once more spoke: "Do you rememberhow I robbed the magpie's nest? I lost my little finger, and I lack itstill. "

Then the King's son remembered, and he sprang and claimed the Giant'slittle daughter as his bride. 

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

RETOLD BY MARY LENA WILSON

A long, long time ago there was a boy named Jack. He and his mother werevery poor, and lived in a tiny cottage. Jack's mother loved him so muchthat she could never say no to anything he asked. So whenever he wantedmoney she gave it to him, until at last all they had was gone. There wasnothing left with which to buy supper. Then the poor woman began to cry, and said to her son:

"Oh, Jack, there is nothing in the house to eat; and there is no moneyto buy food. You will have to take the old cow to town and sell her. Sheis all we have left. "

Jack felt very bad when he saw his mother crying; so he quickly got thecow and started off to town. As he was walking along he passed thebutcher, who stopped him and said:

"Why, Jack! what are you driving your cow away from home for?" And Jackreplied sadly: "I am taking her to town to sell her. "

Then he noticed that the butcher held in his hand some colored beans. They were so beautiful he could not keep from staring at them. 

Now, the butcher was a very mean man. He knew the cow was worth morethan the beans, but he did not believe Jack knew it, so he said: "Youlet me have your cow, and I will give you a whole bag of these beans. "

Jack was so delighted that he could hardly wait to get the bag in hishand. He ran off home as fast as he could. 

"Oh, mother, mother!" he shouted, as he reached the house; "see what Ihave got for the old cow!"

The good lady came hurrying out of the house, but when she saw only abagful of colored beans she was so disappointed to think he had sold hercow "for nothing" that she flung the beans as far as she could. Theyfell everywhere--on the steps, down the road, and in the garden. 

That night Jack and his mother had to go to bed without anything to eat. 

Next morning, when Jack looked out of his window, he could hardlybelieve his eyes. In the garden where his mother had thrown some of thebeans there were great beanstalks. They were twisted together so thatthey made a ladder. When Jack ran out to the garden to look more closelyhe found the ladder reached up, up--'way up into the clouds! It was sohigh he could not see the top. 

Jack was very excited, and called to his mother: "Mother, dear, comequickly! My beans have grown into a beautiful beanstalk ladder thatreaches to the sky! I am going to climb up and see what is at the top. "

Hour after hour he climbed, until he was so tired he could hardly climbany more. At last he came to the end, and peered eagerly over the top tosee what was there. Not a thing was to be seen but rocks and bareground. 

"Oh, " said Jack to himself. "This is a horrid place. I wish I had nevercome. "

Just then he saw, hobbling along, a wrinkled, ragged old woman. When shereached Jack she looked at him and said:

"Well, my boy, where did you come from?"

"I came up the ladder, " answered Jack. 

 [Illustration]

The old woman looked at him very sharply. "Do you remember your father?"she asked. 

Jack thought this a queer question, but he replied: "No, I do not. Whenever I ask my mother about him she cries, and will not tell me. "

At this, the old woman leaned her face very close to Jack's and snappedher bright eyes. "_I will tell you_, " she said, "for _I am a Fairy_!"

The Fairy smiled. "Do not be afraid, my dear, for I am a good, goodFairy. But before I tell you anything, you must promise to do exactly asI say. "

Jack promised, and the Fairy began her story. 

"A long while ago, when you were only a tiny baby, your father andmother lived in a beautiful house, with plenty of money and servantsand everything nice. They were very happy, because everyone loved yourfather for the kind things he did. He always helped people who were poorand in trouble. 

"Now, miles and miles away there was a wicked Giant. He was just as badas your father was good. When he heard about your father he decided todo something very terrible. He went to your house and _killed him_. Hewould have killed you and your mother, too, but she fell down on herknees and begged: 'Oh, please do not hurt me and my little baby. Takeall our treasures, but do not kill us. '

"Now of course the money was what the Giant really wanted, so he said:'If you promise that you will never tell your little boy who his fatherwas, or anything about me, I will let you go. If you do tell him, Ishall find out and kill you both. '

"Your mother quickly promised, and ran out of the house as fast as shecould. All day long she hurried over the rough roads with you in herarms. At last, when she could hardly walk a step further, she came tothe little house where you live now. 

"Now, my dear Jack. I am your father's good fairy. The reason I couldnot help him against the wicked Giant was because I had done somethingwrong. When a fairy does something wrong she loses her power. My powerdid not come back to me until the day when you went to sell your cow. Then _I_ put it into your head to sell the cow for the pretty beans. _I_made the beanstalk grow. _I_ made you climb up the beanstalk. 

"Now, Jack, this is the country where the wicked Giant lives. I had youcome here so you could get back your mother's treasure. "

When Jack heard this he was very excited. 

"Follow the road, " said the Fairy, "and you will come to the Giant'shouse. And do not forget that some day you are to punish the wickedGiant. " And then she disappeared. 

Jack had not gone far before he came to a great house. In front of itstood a little woman. Jack went up to her and said very piteously: "Oh, please, good, kind lady, let me come in your beautiful house and havesomething to eat and a place to sleep. "

The woman looked surprised. "Why, what are you doing here?" she said. "Don't you know this is where my husband, the terrible Giant, lives? Noone dares to come near here. Every one my husband finds he has locked upin his house. Then when he is hungry he _eats them_! He walks fiftymiles to find some one to eat. "

When Jack heard this he was very much afraid. But he remembered what theFairy had told him, and once more he asked the woman to let him in. 

"Just let me sleep in the oven, " he said. "The Giant will never find methere. "

He seemed so tired and sad that the woman couldn't say no, and she gavehim a nice supper. 

Then they climbed a winding stair and reached a bright, cozy kitchen. Jack was just beginning to enjoy himself, when suddenly there was agreat pounding at the front door. 

"Quick, quick!" cried the Giant's wife; "jump into the oven. "

Jack was no sooner safely hidden than he heard the Giant say, in tonesof thunder:

 "Fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!"

When Jack heard this he thought surely the Giant knew that he was in thehouse, but the wife said calmly:

"Oh, my dear, it is probably the people in the dungeon. "

Then they both came down to the kitchen. The Giant sat so close to theoven that by peeping through a hole, Jack could easily see him. He _wasenormous_! And how much he did eat and drink for his supper! When atlast he was through, he roared:

"Wife, bring me my hen!" And the woman brought in a beautiful hen. 

"Lay!" commanded the Giant; and what was Jack's surprise when the henlaid a golden egg. Every time the Giant said: "Lay!"--and he said itmany times--the hen obeyed. 

At last both the woman and her husband fell asleep. But Jack did notdare to sleep. He sat all cramped and tired in the oven, watching theGiant. 

When it began to get light he slowly pushed the oven door open andcrawled out ever so softly. For a minute he hardly dared breathe forfear of waking the Giant. Then quick as a flash, he seized the hen andstole out of the house as fast as his feet could carry him. 

He did not stop running until he reached the beanstalk. All out ofbreath, he climbed down the ladder with the hen in his arms. 

Now, all this time, Jack's poor mother thought her son was surely lost. When she saw him she said:

"Oh, Jack, why did you go off and leave me like that?"

"But, mother, " said Jack--and proudly he held out the hen--"see what Ihave brought you this time: a hen that lays golden eggs. Now we canhave everything we want. You need never be sad any more. "

Jack and his mother were very happy together for many months. Wheneverthey wanted anything, they just told the hen to lay a golden egg. 

But after a while Jack remembered his promise to the Fairy to punish theGiant. So he said to his mother:

"Mother dear, I think I will go back and get some more of our treasurefrom the Giant. "

The poor woman felt very bad when her son said this. "Oh, please do notgo, Jack, " she begged. "This time the Giant will find you and kill youfor stealing his hen. "

Jack decided he would not worry his mother, but he would find a way tofool the Giant. He got some paint to color his skin brown and had aqueer suit of clothes made so that no one could discover who he was. Without telling anyone, he got up early one morning and climbed up thebeanstalk. 

It was dark and cold before he reached the Giant's house. There at thefront door was the Giant's wife; but she did not know Jack in his queerclothes. 

"Good evening, Lady, " said Jack, very politely. "Will you let me in fora night's rest? I am very tired and hungry. "

But the woman shook her head. "I can't let anyone in. One night I let ina poor boy like yourself, and he stole my husband's favorite treasure. My husband is a cruel Giant, and since his hen was stolen he has beenworse than ever. "

"Oh, _please_ let me come in just for to-night. If you don't I shallhave to lie here on the ground and die. "

"Well, I can't let you do that. But mind, I shall have to hide you inthe lumber-closet, or my husband may find you and eat you up. "

Of course, Jack was very glad to agree to do this. As soon as he wassafely hidden away he heard a tremendous noise, and knew that the Gianthad come home. The big fellow walked so heavily that he shook the wholehouse. 

 "Fe, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!" he shouted. 

"Oh, no, my dear, " she answered. "It is an old piece of meat that a crowleft on the roof. "

"All right, " said the Giant. "Now, hurry and get my supper. " And withthat he tried to strike his poor wife. Jack could see from where he washiding that the Giant was even uglier than before. 

"It was you who let in the boy that stole my hen, " he kept saying toher. And when Jack heard this he shivered for fear. 

After his supper the Giant said in a very cross voice:

"Now, wife, bring me my bags of gold and silver. "

So the old woman brought in two huge bags and put them down on thetable. The Giant opened each and poured out a great heap of silver andgold. For a long while he sat counting the money. But at last he beganto get drowsy. So he put the gold carefully back and fell over in hischair asleep. 

Jack thought maybe the Giant was only pretending to be asleep, so thathe could catch anyone who might try to take his gold. But when the Gianthad been snoring some time, the boy carefully opened the door of thecloset and tip-toed over to the table. Not a sound could be heard exceptthe terrible snoring of the Giant. Slowly Jack reached out to take thebags of money. 

"Bow, wow, wow!" And a little dog, which Jack had not seen before, jumped up from a corner by the fire, barking furiously. Jack had neverbeen so frightened in his life as now. Surely the Giant would wake andkill him. 

But the Giant never woke at all. He had eaten so much that he couldn't!So Jack snatched the bags, and dashed for the beanstalk. 

When at last he reached the bottom, he ran at once to the cottage toshow his mother the treasure. 

For three years Jack and his mother lived very happily together. But allthis time Jack could not forget his promise to the Fairy, and what mighthappen to him if he did not keep it. 

At last he felt that he must go and kill the wicked Giant. He got someyellow paint and another queer suit, so that he would not look likehimself at all. Early one morning, when it was barely light, he creptsoftly out of the house and climbed up into the Giant's country. 

This time he was bigger and older, and did not feel nearly so afraid ashe had before. He met the Giant's wife, just as he had the two othertimes; and after a great deal of coaxing she let him in, and hid him inthe boiler. 

He had barely gotten in when he felt the whole house shake, and knewthat the Giant had come home. 

 "Fe, fi, fo, fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman. "

He roared in a voice louder than ever. But now Jack was not at allscared. He remembered what had happened before, and thought he wasquite safe. 

But this time the Giant would not listen to anything his wife said. Hejumped up and began stumping around the room, shouting: "There is freshmeat here! I can smell it! Where is it?" And he put his hand right onthe boiler. 

Jack held his breath tight, and did not move a muscle. Just when he feltsure the Giant was going to lift off the lid and find him, he heard himsay: "Well, never mind now. Bring me my supper. " And then he went overto the table and began to eat. 

It seemed to Jack that he ate more than ever. But suddenly he stoppedand called out: "Wife, bring me my harp. "

The poor woman ran at once and brought back the most beautiful harp Jackhad ever seen. She placed it beside her husband, and he commanded:"Play!" And the most surprising thing happened: The harp began to playthe loveliest tunes without anyone touching it at all. Jack thought hehad never seen anything so wonderful, and said to himself:

"That harp really belongs to my mother. I shall get it away from theGiant and take it to her. "

Soon the Giant fell asleep. Jack crawled very quietly out of the boilerand up toward the table. He stretched out his hand to seize the harp;but just as his fingers touched it, it shouted: "Master, master, wakeup!"

Jack was horrified, for he saw at once that the harp was the Giant'sfairy, and was trying to help him. 

The Giant opened his eyes, but before he could get to his feet Jack wasrunning for his life. Down the winding stair and through the dark hallhe went. He felt the floor tremble as the Giant came roaring after him. He was panting for breath when he reached the front door, but did notdare to stop. If he did, he knew the Giant would catch him, and thatwould be the end of him. 

And this is what surely would have happened, but the Giant had eaten somuch for his supper that he could hardly run at all. Even so, he wasclose behind him all the way. And all the time he kept roaring andshouting, which frightened Jack all the more. 

As soon as Jack reached the beanstalk he called out: "Someone quick! getme a hatchet!" Then he almost fell down the beanstalk in his hurry. 

When he reached the bottom the Giant had already started to come down. "Oh, now, " thought poor Jack, "he will come and burn our house, and killmy mother and me. "

Just then a neighbor ran up to Jack with a hatchet. Jack grabbed it andcut down the beanstalk! With a terrible crash it fell to the ground, bringing the Giant with it. 

Jack and his friends rushed up to where he fell. 

"Oh, he is dead! He is dead!" they shouted. 

When Jack's mother heard this she came running out of the house andflung her arms around her son. 

"Oh, mother, I am so sorry that I have been all this trouble to you. ButI promise I shall never be any more. " And just at this moment the Fairyappeared. 

"Yes, " she said. "Your Jack is a good boy. He did all this only becauseI told him to. " To Jack she said:

"Now, my dear, I hope you will always be good and kind to your mother. And I hope you will always be kind to the poor and unhappy people, justas your father was. If you are, I am sure that you will both be veryhappy as long as you live. Good-by, good-by, my dears!" And before theycould thank her the Fairy disappeared. 

Jack remembered all she had told him, and he and his mother livedtogether very happily all the rest of their lives. 

TOM THUMB

RETOLD BY LAURA CLARKE

Have you ever heard about Little Thumb, or Tom Thumb as he was sometimescalled? Such a queer little fellow, and such adventures, you surely mustbecome acquainted with. 

'Way back in the days of the good King Arthur, there lived a poor manand his wife who had no children. They wanted a child more than anythingelse in the world; and one day the woman said to her husband:

"Husband, if I had a son, even if he were no bigger than my thumb, Ishould be the happiest woman alive. "

Now, Merlin, the King's magician, overheard this wish; and I suspect hewas fond of playing tricks, for it was not many days before the womanhad a child given her. He was so tiny that his father burst out laughingwhen he saw him, and called him Tom Thumb. But the parents were ashappy as if he had been a large boy. 

Tom Thumb had many exciting adventures and narrow escapes, because hewas so small. He used to drive his father's horse by standing in thehorse's ear and calling out "Gee up!" and "Gee, whoa!" just like hisfather. When people saw horse and cart going along at a brisk pace, andheard the voice but saw no driver, you may be sure they were surprised. 

 [Illustration]

One day two men saw him, and thought they might get rich if they couldget Tom Thumb, take him to country fairs, and make him do funny thingsto amuse the crowds. They offered Little Thumb's father a sum of goldfor the tiny fellow, but the good man said: "I would not take any sum ofmoney for my dear son. "

Then Tom whispered in his father's ear: "Dear father, take the money andlet them have me. I can easily get away and return home. "

Now, if Tom's father had known what dangers were before the littlefellow he never would have consented; but it sounded so easy that hetook the gold, and the men took Tom. 

Tom rode on the brim of his new master's hat for a long time, thinkinghow he might escape. Finally he saw a field-mouse's nest over a hedge, and he said: "Master, I am cold and stiff; put me down that I may runabout and get warm. "

Not suspecting anything, the man put him on the ground. What was hissurprise and anger when Little Tom darted off through the hedge. Callingto him to come back, the master with difficulty climbed over the bushesand started searching for his small runaway. He looked behind stones, under clumps of grass, in little furrows, but never thought of the nestof the field-mouse. 

Little Tom stayed very still long after the angry voice had died away inthe distance. When he came forth it was dark, and he did not know whichway to go. He was still trying to make up his mind, when he overheardtwo robbers on the other side of the hedge. 

The first robber said: "There is plenty of gold and silver in therector's house, but his doors are locked and his windows barred. "

"Yes, " said the other one, "and if we break in we shall wake up theservants. "

This conversation gave Tom an idea. Stepping through the hedge he saidin a loud voice: "I can help you. I am so small I can get between thebars on the window. Then I'll pass all the gold and silver out to you, and when I get out you can divide with me. "

 [Illustration]

The robbers were pleased with the idea. They decided between themselvesthat as soon as they got the money in their own hands they would makeoff and not divide it at all. They never suspected that Little Thumb wasplanning to give them away. 

Reaching the rector's home they lifted Tom up, and he crawled betweenthe bars and out of reach of the robbers. 

Then he called out in a very loud voice, so as to waken the servants:"Will you have everything I can get?" The servants came runningcalling, "Thief! Thief!" and the two robbers escaped as fast as theirfeet would carry them. 

Now, the servants were so angry, and told in such loud voices what theyshould do if they caught anyone in the house, that Little Thumb was verymuch afraid. So he climbed out through the window and hid in the barn inthe hay. 

It is best for little people to stay out of harm's way; the queerestthings may happen. While our small adventurer was peacefully sleeping, the milkmaid came to give the cattle their morning fodder. As bad luckwould have it, she took the very truss of hay in which Tom lay; and heawoke with a start to find himself in the cow's great mouth, in dangerof being crushed at any minute by her tremendous teeth. He dodged backand forth in terror; and it was a relief when the cow gave one bigswallow, and he slid down into her roomy stomach. 

 [Illustration]

It was dark and moist down there, however, and more hay came down withevery swallow; so Tom called out with all his might: "No more hay, please! no more hay!"

The milkmaid screamed, and ran to the house, telling everyone that thecow had been talking to her just like a man. 

"Nonsense, " said the rector; "cows do not talk. " Nevertheless, he wentto the cow-shed. No sooner had he stepped inside the door than the cowlifted her head, and a voice called in great distress: "No more hay, please! no more hay!"

"Alas, " cried the rector, "my beautiful cow is bewitched! It is best tokill her before she makes mischief with the other cows. "

So the cow was slaughtered, and the stomach, with Little Thumb inside, was flung away. 

"Now, I will work my way out and run home, " thought Tom. But he was tohave another adventure first. He had just gotten his head free, when ahungry wolf, attracted by the smell of the freshly-killed meat, seizedthe stomach in its jaws and sprang away into the forest. 

Instead of losing courage, Little Thumb began to plan a way of escape. He decided on a bold scheme. In his loudest voice he called: "Wolf, ifyou are hungry, I know where you can get a choice dinner. "

"Where?" asked the wolf. 

"There is a house not far away, and I know a hole through which you cancrawl into the kitchen. Once there you can eat and drink to your heart'scontent. "

The wolf did not know that Tom meant his own home; but the mention ofthese good things to eat made him very hungry, and following Tom'sdirections he quickly reached the house. 

Things were exactly as promised. Tom waited till he was sure the wolfhad eaten so much that he could not get out through the hole he came in. Then he called from inside the wolf: "Father, mother, help! I amhere--in the wolf's body. "

It did not take long for the father to finish the wolf and rescue hisdear boy. 

"We shall never let you go again, for all the riches of the world, " saidthe mother and father. But Tom was rather pleased with his adventures. 

One day, when walking beside the river, he slipped and fell in. Beforehe had a chance to swim out a fish came along and swallowed him. Tom hadescaped so often from such dangers that he was not much afraid. After atime the fish saw a dainty worm, and, little thinking that it was on ahook, took it in its mouth. Before it realized what had happened it waspulled out of the water, with Little Thumb still inside. 

Now, as luck would have it, this fish was to be for the King's dinner. When the cook opened the fish to clean it and make it ready forbroiling, out stepped Little Thumb, much to the astonishment and delightof everyone. The King said he had never seen so tiny and merry a fellow. He knighted him, and had Sir Thomas Thumb and his father and mother livein the palace the rest of their lives. 

 [Illustration]

WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

In the reign of the famous King Edward III there was a little boy calledDick Whittington, whose father and mother died when he was very young, so that he remembered nothing at all about them, and was left a raggedlittle fellow, running about a country village. As poor Dick was not oldenough to work, he was very badly off; he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast; for the people who livedin the village were very poor indeed, and could not spare him much morethan the parings of potatoes, and now and then a hard crust of bread. 

For all this Dick Whittington was a very sharp boy, and was alwayslistening to what everybody talked about. On Sunday he was sure toget near the farmers, as they sat talking on the tombstones in thechurchyard, before the parson was come; and once a week you might seelittle Dick leaning against the sign-post of the village inn, wherepeople stopped as they came from the next market town; and when thebarber's shop door was open, Dick listened to all the news that hiscustomers told one another. 

In this manner Dick heard a great many very strange things about thegreat city called London; for the foolish country people at that timethought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies; andthat there was singing and music there all day long; and that thestreets were all paved with gold. 

One day a large wagon and eight horses, all with bells at their heads, drove through the village while Dick was standing by the sign-post. Hethought that this wagon must be going to the fine town of London; so hetook courage, and asked the wagoner to let him walk with him by the sideof the wagon. As soon as the wagoner heard that poor Dick had no fatheror mother, and saw by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse offthan he was, he told him he might go if he would, so they set offtogether. 

It has never been found out how little Dick contrived to get meat anddrink on the road; nor how he could walk so far, for it was a long way;nor what he did at night for a place to lie down and sleep. Perhaps somegood-natured people in the towns that he passed through, when they sawhe was a poor little ragged boy, gave him something to eat; and perhapsthe wagoner let him get into the wagon at night, and take a nap upon oneof the boxes or large parcels in the wagon. 

Dick however got safe to London, and was in such a hurry to see the finestreets paved all over with gold, that he ran as fast as his legs wouldcarry him, through many of the streets, thinking every moment to come tothose that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three timesin his own little village, and remembered what a deal of money itbrought in change; so he thought he had nothing to do but to take upsome little bits of the pavement, and should then have as much money ashe could wish for. 

Poor Dick ran till he was tired; but at last, finding it grew dark, andthat every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of gold, he satdown in a dark corner and cried himself to sleep. 

Little Dick was all night in the streets; and next morning, being veryhungry, he got up and walked about, and asked everybody he met to givehim a halfpenny to keep him from starving; but nobody stayed to answerhim, and only two or three gave him a halfpenny; so that the poor boywas soon quite weak and faint for the want of food. 

At last a good-natured looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked. "Whydon't you go to work, my lad?" said he to Dick. "That I would, but I donot know how to get any, " answered Dick. "If you are willing, come alongwith me, " said the gentleman, and took him to a hay-field, where Dickworked briskly, and lived merrily till the hay was made. 

After this he found himself as badly off as before; and being almoststarved again, he laid himself down at the door of Mr. Fitzwarren, arich merchant. Here he was soon seen by the cook-maid, who was anill-tempered creature, and happened just then to be very busy dressingdinner for her master and mistress; so she called out to poor Dick:"What business have you there, you lazy rogue? there is nothing else butbeggars; if you do not take yourself away, we will see how you will likea sousing of some dish-water; I have some here hot enough to make youjump. "

Just at that time, Mr. Fitzwarren himself came home to dinner; and whenhe saw a dirty ragged boy lying at the door, he said to him: "Why do youlie there, my boy? You seem old enough to work; I am afraid you areinclined to be lazy. "

"No, indeed, sir, " said Dick to him, "that is not the case, for I wouldwork with all my heart, but I do not know anybody, and I believe I amvery sick for the want of food. " "Poor fellow, get up; let me see whatails you. "

Dick now tried to rise, but was obliged to lie down again, being tooweak to stand, for he had not eaten any food for three days, and was nolonger able to run about and beg a halfpenny of people in the street. Sothe kind merchant ordered him to be taken into the house, and have agood dinner given him, and be kept to do what dirty work he was able forthe cook. 

Little Dick would have lived very happy in this good family if it hadnot been for the ill-natured cook, who was finding fault and scoldinghim from morning to night, and besides, she was so fond of basting, thatwhen she had no meat to baste, she would baste poor Dick's head andshoulders with a broom, or anything else that happened to fall in herway. At last her ill-usage of him was told to Alice, Mr. Fitzwarren'sdaughter, who told the cook she should be turned away if she did nottreat him kinder. 

The ill-humor of the cook was now a little amended; but besides thisDick had another hardship to get over. His bed stood in a garret, wherethere were so many holes in the floor and the walls that every night hewas tormented with rats and mice. A gentleman having given Dick a pennyfor cleaning his shoes, he thought he would buy a cat with it. The nextday he saw a girl with a cat, and asked her if she would let him have itfor a penny. The girl said she would, and at the same time told him thecat was an excellent mouser. 

Dick hid his cat in the garret, and always took care to carry a part ofhis dinner to her; and in a short time he had no more trouble with therats and mice, but slept quite sound every night. 

Soon after this, his master had a ship ready to sail; and as he thoughtit right that all his servants should have some chance for good fortuneas well as himself, he called them all into the parlor and asked themwhat they would send out. 

They all had something that they were willing to venture except poorDick, who had neither money nor goods, and therefore could send nothing. 

For this reason he did not come into the parlor with the rest; but MissAlice guessed what was the matter, and ordered him to be called in. Shethen said she would lay down some money for him, from her own purse; butthe father told her this would not do, for it must be something of hisown. 

When poor Dick heard this, he said he had nothing but a cat which hebought for a penny some time since of a little girl. 

"Fetch your cat then, my good boy, " said Mr. Fitzwarren, "and let hergo. "

Dick went upstairs, and with tears in his eyes brought down poor puss, and gave her to the captain. 

All the company laughed at Dick's odd venture; and Miss Alice, who feltpity for the poor boy, gave him some money to buy another cat. 

This, and many other marks of kindness shown him by Miss Alice, made theill-tempered cook jealous of poor Dick, and she began to use him morecruelly than ever, and always made game of him for sending his cat tosea. She asked him if he thought his cat would sell for as much money aswould buy a stick to beat him. 

At last poor Dick could not bear this usage any longer, and he thoughthe would run away from this place; so he packed up his few things, andstarted very early in the morning, on All-hallows Day, which is thefirst of November. He walked as far as Holloway; and there sat down ona stone, which to this day is called Whittington's Stone, and began tothink to himself which road he should take as he proceeded onward. 

While he was thinking what he should do, the Bells of Bow Church, whichat that time had only six, began to ring, and he fancied their soundseemed to say to him:

 "Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London. "

"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to himself. "Why, to be sure, I wouldput up with almost anything now, to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride ina fine coach, when I grow to be a man! Well, I will go back, and thinknothing of the cuffing and scolding of the old cook, if I am to be LordMayor of London at last. "

Dick went back, and was lucky enough to get into the house, and setabout his work, before the old cook came downstairs. 

The ship, with the cat on board, was a long time at sea; and was at lastdriven by the winds on a part of the coast of Barbary, where the onlypeople were the Moors, that the English had never known before. 

The people then came in great numbers to see the sailors, who were ofdifferent color to themselves, and treated them very civilly; and, whenthey became better acquainted, were very eager to buy the fine thingswith which the ship was loaded. 

When the captain saw this, he sent patterns of the best things he had tothe King of the country; who was so much pleased with them, that heordered the captain to come to the palace. Here the guests were placed, as it is the custom of the country, on rich carpets marked with gold andsilver flowers. The King and Queen were seated at the upper end of theroom; and a number of dishes were brought in for dinner. They had notsat long, when a vast number of rats and mice rushed in, helpingthemselves from almost every dish. The captain wondered at this, andasked if these vermin were not very unpleasant. 

"Oh, yes, " said they, "very offensive; and the King would give half histreasure to be freed of them, for they not only destroy his dinner, asyou see, but they assault him in his chamber, and even in bed, so thathe is obliged to be watched while he is sleeping for fear of them. "

The captain jumped for joy; he remembered poor Whittington and his cat, and told the King he had a creature on board the ship that woulddespatch all these vermin immediately. The King's heart heaved so highat the joy which this news gave him that his turban dropped off hishead. "Bring this creature to me, " says he; "vermin are dreadful in acourt, and if she will perform what you say, I will load your ship withgold and jewels in exchange for her. "

The captain, who knew his business, took this opportunity to setforth the merits of Miss Puss. He told his Majesty that it would beinconvenient to part with her, as, when she was gone, the rats and micemight destroy the goods in the ship; but to oblige his Majesty he wouldfetch her. "Run, run!" said the Queen; "I am impatient to see the dearcreature. "

Away went the captain to the ship, while another dinner was got ready. He put puss under his arm, and arrived at the place soon enough to seethe table full of rats. 

When the cat saw them, she did not wait for bidding, but jumped out ofthe captain's arms, and in a few minutes laid almost all the rats andmice dead at her feet. The rest of them in their fright scampered awayto their holes. 

The King and Queen were quite charmed to get so easily rid of suchplagues, and desired that the creature who had done them so great akindness might be brought to them for inspection. Upon which the captaincalled: "Pussy, pussy, pussy!" and she came to him. He then presentedher to the Queen, who started back, and was afraid to touch a creaturewho had made such a havoc among the rats and mice. However, when thecaptain stroked the cat and called: "Pussy, pussy, " the Queen alsotouched her and cried, "Putty, putty, " for she had not learned English. He then put her down on the Queen's lap, where she, purring, played withher Majesty's hand, and then sung herself to sleep. 

The King, having seen the exploits of Mistress Puss, and being informedthat some day she would have some little kitties, which in turn wouldhave other little kitties, and thus stock the whole country, bargainedwith the captain for the ship's entire cargo, and then gave him tentimes as much for the cat as all the rest amounted to. 

The captain then took leave of the royal party, and set sail with a fairwind for England, and after a happy voyage arrived safe in London. 

One morning Mr. Fitzwarren had just come to his counting-house andseated himself at the desk, when somebody came tap, tap, at the door. "Who's there?" asked Mr. Fitzwarren. "A friend, " answered the other; "Icome to bring you good news of your ship 'Unicorn. '" The merchant, bustling up instantly, opened the door, and who should be seen waitingbut the captain and factor, with a cabinet of jewels, and a bill oflading, for which the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked heaven forsending him such a prosperous voyage. 

Then they told the story of the cat, and showed the rich present thatthe King and Queen had sent for her to poor Dick. As soon as themerchant heard this, he called out to his servants:

 "Go fetch him--we will tell him of the same; Pray call him Mr. Whittington by name. "

Mr. Fitzwarren now showed himself to be a good man; for when some of hisservants said so great a treasure was too much for him, he answered:"God forbid I should deprive him of the value of a single penny. "

He then sent for Dick, who at that time was scouring pots for the cook, and was quite dirty. 

Mr. Fitzwarren ordered a chair to be set for him, and so he began tothink they were making game of him, at the same time begging them not toplay tricks with a poor simple boy, but to let him go down again, ifthey pleased, to his work. 

"Indeed, Mr. Whittington, " said the merchant, "we are all quite inearnest with you, and I most heartily rejoice in the news thesegentlemen have brought you; for the captain has sold your cat to theKing of Barbary, and brought you in return for her more riches than Ipossess in the whole world; and I wish you may long enjoy them!"

Mr. Fitzwarren then told the men to open the great treasure they hadbrought with them; and said: "Mr. Whittington has nothing to do but toput it in some place of safety. "

Poor Dick hardly knew how to behave himself for joy. He begged hismaster to take what part of it he pleased, since he owed it all to hiskindness. "No, no, " answered Mr. Fitzwarren, "this is all your own; andI have no doubt but you will use it well. "

Dick next asked his mistress, and then Miss Alice, to accept a part ofhis good fortune; but they would not, and at the same time told himthey felt great joy at his good success. But this poor fellow was tookind-hearted to keep it all to himself; so he made a present to thecaptain, the mate, and the rest of Mr. Fitzwarren's servants; and evento the ill-natured old cook. 

After this Mr. Fitzwarren advised him to send for a proper tradesman, and get himself dressed like a gentleman; and told him he was welcome tolive in his house till he could provide himself with a better. 

When Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, his hat cocked, andhe was dressed in a nice suit of clothes, he was as handsome and genteelas any young man who visited at Mr. Fitzwarren's; so that Miss Alice, who had once been so kind to him, and thought of him with pity, nowlooked upon him as fit to be her sweetheart; and the more so, no doubt, because Whittington was now always thinking what he could do to obligeher, and making her the prettiest presents that could be. 

Mr. Fitzwarren soon saw their love for each other, and proposed to jointhem in marriage; and to this they both readily agreed. A day for thewedding was soon fixed; and they were attended to church by the LordMayor, the court of aldermen, the sheriffs, and a great number of therichest merchants in London, to whom they afterward gave a very richfeast. 

History tells us that Mr. Whittington and his lady lived in greatsplendor, and were very happy. They had several children. He was Sheriffof London, also Mayor, and received the honor of knighthood by Henry V. 

The figure of Sir Richard Whittington with his cat in his arms, carvedin stone, was to be seen till the year 1780 over the archway of the oldprison of Newgate, that stood across Newgate Street. 

 [Illustration]

WILD ROBIN

_A Scotch Fairy Tale_

RETOLD BY SOPHIE MAY

In the green valley of the Yarrow, near the castle-keep of Norham, dweltan honest little family, whose only grief was an unhappy son, namedRobin. 

Janet, with jimp form, bonnie eyes, and cherry cheeks, was the best ofdaughters; the boys, Sandie and Davie, were swift-footed, brave, kind, and obedient; but Robin, the youngest, had a stormy temper, and when hiswill was crossed he became as reckless as a reeling hurricane. Once, ina passion, he drove two of his father's "kye, " or cattle, down a steephill to their death. He seemed not to care for home or kindred, andoften pierced the tender heart of his mother with sharp words. When shecame at night, and "happed" the bed-clothes carefully about his form, and then stooped to kiss his nut-brown cheeks, he turned away with afrown, muttering: "Mither, let me be. "

It was a sad case with Wild Robin, who seemed to have neither love norconscience. 

"My heart is sair, " sighed his mother, "wi' greeting over sich a son. "

"He hates our auld cottage and our muckle wark, " said the poor father. "Ah, weel! I could a'maist wish the fairies had him for a season, toteach him better manners. "

This the gudeman said heedlessly, little knowing there was any danger ofRobin's being carried away to Elf-land. Whether the fairies were at thatinstant listening under the eaves, will never be known; but it chanced, one day, that Wild Robin was sent across the moors to fetch the kye. 

"I'll rin away, " thought the boy; "'t is hard indeed if ilka day a greatlad like me must mind the kye. I'll gae aff; and they'll think me dead. "

So he gaed, and he gaed, over round swelling hills, over oldbattle-fields, past the roofless ruins of houses whose walls werecrowned with tall climbing grasses, till he came to a crystal sheet ofwater called St. Mary's Loch. Here he paused to take breath. The sky wasdull and lowering; but at his feet were yellow flowers, which shone, onthat gray day, like streaks of sunshine. 

He threw himself wearily upon the grass, not heeding that he had chosenhis couch within a little mossy circle known as a "fairy's ring. " WildRobin knew that the country people would say the fays had pressed thatgreen circle with their light feet. He had heard all the Scottish loreof brownies, elves, will-o'-the-wisps and the strange water-kelpies, whoshriek with eldritch laughter. He had been told that the Queen of theFairies had coveted him from his birth, and would have stolen him away, only that, just as she was about to seize him from the cradle, he had_sneezed_; and from that instant the fairy-spell was over, and she hadno more control of him. 

Yet, in spite of all these stories, the boy was not afraid; and if hehad been informed that any of the uncanny people were, even now, haunting his footsteps, he would not have believed it. 

"I see, " said Wild Robin, "the sun is drawing his nightcap over hiseyes, and dropping asleep. I believe I'll e'en take a nap mysel', andsee what comes o' it. "

In two minutes he had forgotten St. Mary's Loch, the hills, the moors, the yellow flowers. He heard, or fancied he heard, his sister Janetcalling him home. 

"And what have ye for supper?" he muttered between his teeth. 

"Parritch and milk, " answered the lassie gently. 

"Parritch and milk! Whist! say nae mair! Lang, lang may ye wait for WildRobin: he'll not gae back for oatmeal parritch!"

Next a sad voice fell on his ear. 

"Mither's; and she mourns me dead!" thought he; but it was only thefar-off village-bell, which sounded like the echo of music he had heardlang syne, but might never hear again. 

"D' ye think I'm not alive?" tolled the bell. "I sit all day in mylittle wooden temple, brooding over the sins of the parish. "

"A brazen lie!" cried Robin. 

"Nay, the truth, as I'm a living soul! Wae worth ye, Robin Telfer: yethink yersel' hardly used. Say, have your brithers softer beds thanyours? Is your ain father served with larger potatoes or creamierbuttermilk? Whose mither sae kind as yours, ungrateful chiel? Gae toElf-land, Wild Robin; and dool and wae follow ye! dool and wae followye!"

The round yellow sun had dropped behind the hills; the evening breezesbegan to blow; and now could be heard the faint trampling of smallhoofs, and the tinkling of tiny bridle-bells: the fairies were troopingover the ground. First of all rode the Queen. 

 "Her skirt was of the grass-green silk, Her mantle o' the velvet fine; At ilka tress of her horse's mane Hung fifty silver bells and nine. "

But Wild Robin's closed eyes saw nothing: his sleep-sealed ears heardnothing. The Queen of the fairies dismounted, stole up to him, and laidher soft fingers on his cheeks. 

"Here is a little man after my ain heart, " said she: "I like his knittedbrow, and the downward curve of his lips. Knights, lift him gently, sethim on a red-roan steed, and waft him away to Fairy-land. "

Wild Robin was lifted as gently as a brown leaf borne by the wind; herode as softly as if the red-roan steed had been saddled with satin, and shod with velvet. It even may be that the faint tinkling of thebridle-bells lulled him into a deeper slumber; for when he awoke it wasmorning in Fairy-land. 

Robin sprang from his mossy couch, and stared about him. Where was he?He rubbed his eyes, and looked again. Dreaming, no doubt; but what meantall these nimble little beings bustling hither and thither in hot haste?What meant these pearl-bedecked caves, scarcely larger than swallow'snests? these green canopies, overgrown with moss? He pinched himself, and gazed again. Countless flowers nodded to him, and seemed, likehimself, on tip-toe with curiosity, he thought. He beckoned one of thebusy, dwarfish little brownies toward him. 

"I ken I'm talking in my sleep, " said the lad; "but can ye tell me whatdell is this, and how I chanced to be in it?"

The brownie might or might not have heard; but, at any rate, he deignedno reply, and went on with his task, which was pounding seeds in a stonemortar. 

"Am I Robin Telfer, of the Valley of Yarrow, and yet canna shake aff mysilly dreams?"

"Weel, my lad, " quoth the Queen of the Fairies, giving him a smart tapwith her wand, "stir yersel', and be at work; for naebody idles inElf-land. "

Bewildered Robin ventured a look at the little Queen. By daylight sheseemed somewhat sleepy and tired; and was withal so tiny, that he mightalmost have taken her between his thumb and finger, and twirled herabove his head; yet she poised herself before him on a mullein-stalk andlooked every inch a queen. Robin found her gaze oppressive; for her eyeswere hard, and cold, and gray, as if they had been little orbs ofgranite. 

"Get ye to work, Wild Robin!"

"What to do?" meekly asked the boy, hungrily glancing at a few kernelsof rye which had rolled out of one of the brownie's mortars. 

"Are ye hungry, my laddie? Touch a grain of rye if ye dare! Shell thesedry beans; and if so be ye're starving, eat as many as ye can boil in anacorn-cup. "

With these words she gave the boy a withered bean-pod, and, summoning ameek little brownie, bade him see that the lad did not over-fill theacorn-cup, and that he did not so much as peck at a grain of rye. Thenglancing sternly at her prisoner, she withdrew, sweeping after her thelong train of her green robe. 

The dull days crept by, and still there seemed no hope that Wild Robinwould ever escape from his beautiful but detested prison. He had nowings, poor laddie; and he could neither become invisible nor drawhimself through a keyhole bodily. 

It is true, he had mortal companions: many chubby babies; manybright-eyed boys and girls, whose distracted parents were still seekingthem, far and wide, upon the earth. It would almost seem that thewonders of Fairy-land might make the little prisoners happy. There werecountless treasures to be had for the taking, and the very dust in thelittle streets was precious with specks of gold: but the poor childrenshivered for the want of a mother's love; they all pined for the dearhome-people. If a certain task seemed to them particularly irksome, theheartless Queen was sure to find it out, and oblige them to perform it, day after day. If they disliked any article of food, that, and no other, were they forced to eat, or else starve. 

Wild Robin, loathing his withered beans and unsalted broths, longedintensely for one little breath of fragrant steam from the toothsomeparritch on his father's table, one glance at a roasted potato. He washomesick for the gentle sister he had neglected, the rough brotherswhose cheeks he had pelted black and blue; and yearned for the verychinks in the walls, the very thatch on the home-roof. 

Gladly would he have given every fairy flower, at the root of whichclung a lump of gold ore, if he might have had his own coverlet "happed"about him once more by his gentle mother. 

 [Illustration: "HERE IS A LITTLE MAN AFTER MY AIN HEART, " SAID THE QUEEN OF THE FAIRIES]

"Mither, " he whispered in his dreams, "my shoon are worn, and my feetbleed; but I'll soon creep hame, if I can. Keep the parritch warm forme. "

Robin was as strong as a mountain-goat; and his strength was put to thetask of threshing rye, grinding oats and corn, or drawing water from abrook. 

Every night, troops of gay fairies and plodding brownies stole off on avisit to the upper world, leaving Robin and his companions inever-deeper despair. Poor Robin! he was fain to sing--

 "Oh, that my father had ne'er on me smiled! Oh, that my mother had ne'er to me sung! Oh, that my cradle had never been rocked, But that I had died when I was young. "

Now, there was one good-natured brownie who pitied Robin. When he took ajourney to earth with his fellow-brownies, he often threshed rye for theladdie's father, or churned butter in his good mother's dairy, unseenand unsuspected. If the little creature had been watched, and paid forthese good offices, he would have left the farmhouse forever in soredispleasure. 

To homesick Robin he brought news of the family who mourned him as dead. He stole a silky tress of Janet's fair hair, and wondered to see the boyweep over it; for brotherly affection is a sentiment which never yetpenetrated the heart of a brownie. The dull little sprite would gladlyhave helped the poor lad to his freedom, but told him that only on onenight of the year was there the least hope, and that was on Hallow-e'en, when the whole nation of fairies ride in procession through the streetsof earth. 

So Robin was instructed to spin a dream, which the kind brownie wouldhum in Janet's ear while she slept. By this means the lassie would notonly learn that her brother was in the power of the elves, but wouldalso learn how to release him. 

Accordingly, the night before Hallow-e'en, the bonnie Janet dreamed thatthe long-lost Robin was living in Elf-land, and that he was to passthrough the streets with a cavalcade of fairies. But, alas! how shouldeven a sister know him in the dim starlight, among the passing troops ofelfish and mortal riders? The dream assured her that she might let thefirst company go by, and the second; but Robin would be one of thethird. 

The full directions as to how she should act were given in poeticalform, as follows:

 "First let pass the black, Janet, And syne let pass the brown; But grip ye to the milk-white steed, And pull the rider down. 

 For _I_ ride on the milk-white steed, And aye nearest the town: Because I was a christened lad They gave me that renown. 

 My right hand will be gloved, Janet; My left hand will be bare; And these the tokens I give thee, No doubt I will be there. 

 They'll shape me in your arms, Janet, A toad, snake, and an eel; But hold me fast, nor let me gang, As you do love me weel. 

 They'll shape me in your arms, Janet, A dove, bat, and a swan: Cast your green mantle over me, I'll be myself again. "

The good sister Janet, far from remembering any of the old sins of herbrother, wept for joy to know that he was yet among the living. She toldno one of her strange dream; but hastened secretly to the Miles Cross, saw the strange cavalcade pricking through the greenwood, and pulleddown the rider on the milk-white steed, holding him fast through all hischanging shapes. But when she had thrown her green mantle over him, andclasped him in her arms as her own brother Robin, the angry voice of theFairy Queen was heard. 

 "Up then spake the Queen of Fairies, Out of a blush of rye: 'You've taken away the bonniest lad In all my companie. 

 'Had I but had the wit, yestreen, That I have learned to-day, I'd pinned the sister to her bed Ere he'd been won away!'"

However, it was too late now. Wild Robin was safe, and the elves hadlost their power over him forever. His forgiving parents and hislead-hearted brothers welcomed him home with more than the old love. 

So grateful and happy was the poor laddie that he nevermore grumbled athis oatmeal parritch, or minded his kye with a scowling brow. 

But to the end of his days, when he heard mention of fairies andbrownies, his mind wandered off in a mizmaze. He died in peace, and wasburied on the banks of the Yarrow. 

THE STORY OF MERLIN

Merlin was a King in early Britain; he was also an Enchanter. No oneknows who were his parents, or where he was born; but it is said that hewas brought in by the white waves of the sea, and that, at the last, tothe sea he returned. 

When Merlin was King of Britain, it was a delightful island of flowerymeadows. His subjects were fairies, and they spent their lives insinging, playing, and enjoyment. The Prime Minister of Merlin was a tamewolf. Part of his kingdom was beneath the waves, and his subjects therewere the mermaids. Here, too, everyone was happy, and the only want theyever felt was of the full light of the sun, which, coming to themthrough the water, was but faint and cast no shadow. Here was Merlin'sworkshop, where he forged the enchanted sword Excalibur. This was givento King Arthur when he began to reign, and after his life was through itwas flung into the ocean again, where it will remain until he returns torule over a better kingdom. 

Merlin was King Arthur's trusted counselor. He knew the past, present, and the future; he could foretell the result of a battle, and he hadcourage to rebuke even the bravest Knights for cowardice. On oneoccasion, when the battle seemed to be lost, he rode in among the enemyon a great white horse, carrying a banner with a golden dragon, whichpoured forth flaming fire from its throat. Because of this dragon, whichbecame King Arthur's emblem, Arthur was known as Pendragon, and alwayswore a golden dragon on the front of his helmet. 

Merlin was always fond of elfin tricks. He would disguise himself--nowas a blind boy, again as an old witch, and once more as a dwarf. Therewas a song about him all over Britain, which began as follows:

 "Merlin, Merlin, where art thou going So early in the day, with thy black dog? Oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! oi! Oi! oi! oi! oi! oi!"

This is the way the early British explained the gathering andarrangement of the vast stones of Stonehenge. After a famous battle hadbeen won there, Merlin said: "I will now cause a thing to be done thatwill endure to the world's end. " So he bade the King, who was the fatherof King Arthur, to send ships and men to Ireland. Here he showed himstones so great that no man could handle, but by his magic art he placedthem upon the boats and they were borne to England. Again by his magiche showed how to transport them across the land; and after they weregathered he had them set on end, "because, " he said, "they would lookfairer than as if they were lying down. "

Now, strange to say, the greatest friend of Merlin was a little girl. Her name was Vivian; she was twelve years old, and she was the daughterof King Dionas. In order to make her acquaintance, Merlin changedhimself into a young Squire, and when she asked him who was his master, he said: "It is one who has taught me so much that I could here erectfor you a castle, and I could make many people outside to attack it andinside to defend it. "

"I wish I could thus disport myself, " answered Vivian. "I would alwayslove you if you could show me such wonders. "

Then Merlin described a circle with his wand, and went back and sat downbeside her. Within a few hours the castle was before her in the wood, Knights and ladies were singing in its courtyard, and an orchard inblossom grew about. 

"Have I done what I promised?" asked Merlin. 

"Fair, sweet friend, " said she, "you have done so much for me that I amalways yours. "

Vivian became like a daughter to the old magician, and he taught hermany of the most wonderful things that any mortal heart could thinkof--things past, things that were done, and part of what was to come. 

You have been told in Tennyson that Vivian learned so many of Merlin'senchantments that in his old age she took advantage of him and put himto sleep forever in the hollow of a tree. But the older legend gives usbetter news. He showed her how to make a tower without walls so theymight dwell there together alone in peace. This tower was "so strongthat it may never be undone while the world endures. " After it wasfinished he fell asleep with his head in her lap, and she wove a spellnine times around his head so that he might rest more peacefully. 

But the old enchanter does not sleep forever. Here in the forest ofBroceliande, on a magic island, Merlin dwells with his nine bards, andonly Vivian can come or go through the magic walls. It was toward thistower, so the legends say, that, after the passing of King Arthur, Merlin was last seen by some Irish monks, sailing away westward, withthe maiden Vivian, in a boat of crystal, beneath the sunset sky. 

 [Illustration: Courtesy of A. Lofthouse

 THE WILLOW PATTERN

 The plate of which this is a photograph was brought to America from England about 1875; it had at that time been in the possession of one family for a hundred years. ]

 [Illustration: JAPANESE AND OTHER ORIENTAL TALES]

THE CUB'S TRIUMPH

Once upon a time there lived in a forest a badger and a mother fox withone little Cub. 

There were no other beasts in the wood, because the hunters had killedthem all with bows and arrows, or by setting snares. The deer, and thewild boar, the hares, the weasels, and the stoats--even the brightlittle squirrels--had been shot, or had fallen into traps. At last, onlythe badger and the fox, with her young one, were left, and they werestarving, for they dared not venture from their holes for fear of thetraps. 

They did not know what to do, or where to turn for food. At last thebadger said:

"I have thought of a plan. I will pretend to be dead. You must changeyourself into a man, and take me into the town and sell me. With themoney you get for me, you must buy food and bring it into the forest. When I get a chance I will run away, and come back to you, and we willeat our dinner together. Mind you wait for me, and don't eat any of ituntil I come. Next week it will be your turn to be dead, and my turn tosell--do you see?"

The fox thought this plan would do very well; so, as soon as the badgerhad lain down and pretended to be dead, she said to her little Cub:

"Be sure not to come out of the hole until I come back. Be very good andquiet, and I will soon bring you some nice dinner. "

She then changed herself into a wood-cutter, took the badger by theheels and swung him over her shoulders, and trudged off into the town. There she sold the badger for a fair price, and with the money boughtsome fish, some _tofu_, [M] and some vegetables. She then ran back to theforest as fast as she could, changed herself into a fox again, and creptinto her hole to see if little Cub was all right. Little Cub was there, safe enough, but very hungry, and wanted to begin upon the _tofu_ atonce. 

 [M] Curd made from white beans. 

"No, no, " said the mother fox. "Fair play's a jewel. We must wait forthe badger. "

Soon the badger arrived, quite out of breath with running so fast. 

"I hope you haven't been eating any of the dinner, " he panted. "I couldnot get away sooner. The man you sold me to brought his wife to look atme, and boasted how cheap he had bought me. You should have asked twiceas much. At last they left me alone, and then I jumped up and ran awayas fast as I could. "

The badger, the fox, and the Cub now sat down to dinner, and had a finefeast, the badger taking care to get the best bits for himself. 

Some days after, when all the food was finished, and they had begun toget hungry again, the badger said to the fox:

"Now it's your turn to die. " So the fox pretended to be dead, and thebadger changed himself into a hunter, shouldered the fox, and went offto the town, where he made a good bargain, and sold her for a nicelittle sum of money. 

You have seen, already that the badger was greedy and selfish. What doyou think he did now? He wished to have all the money, and all the foodit would buy for himself, so he whispered to the man who had bought thefox:

"That fox is only pretending to be dead; take care he doesn't run away. "

"We'll soon settle that, " said the man, and he knocked the fox on thehead with a big stick, and killed her. 

The badger next laid out the money in buying all the nice things hecould think of. He carried them off to the forest, and there ate themall up himself, without giving one bit to the poor little Cub, who wasall alone, crying for its mother, very sad, and very hungry. 

Poor little motherless Cub! But, being a clever little fox, he soonbegan to put two and two together, and at last felt quite sure that thebadger had, in some way, caused the loss of his mother. 

He made up his mind that he would punish the badger; and, as he was notbig enough or strong enough to do it by force, he was obliged to tryanother plan. 

He did not let the badger see how angry he was with him, but said in afriendly way:

"Let us have a game of changing ourselves into men. If you can changeyourself so cleverly that I cannot find you out, you will have won thegame; but, if I change myself so that you cannot find me out, then Ishall have won the game. I will begin, if you like; and, you may besure, I shall turn myself into somebody very grand while I am about it. "

The badger agreed. So then, instead of changing himself at all, thecunning little Cub just went and hid himself behind a tree, and watchedto see what would happen. Presently there came along the bridge leadinginto the town a nobleman, seated in a sedan-chair, a great crowd ofservants and men at arms following him. 

The badger was quite sure that this must be the fox, so he ran up to thesedan-chair, put in his head, and cried:

"I've found you out! I've won the game!"

"A badger! A badger! Off with his head, " cried the nobleman. 

So one of the retainers cut off the badger's head with one blow of hissharp sword, the little Cub all the time laughing unseen behind thetree. 

 [Illustration: THE CUB'S TRIUMPH]

CHIN-CHIN KOBAKAMA

Once there was a little girl who was very pretty, but also very lazy. Her parents were rich, and had a great many servants; and these servantswere very fond of the little girl, and did everything for her which sheought to have been able to do for herself. Perhaps this was what madeher so lazy. When she grew up into a beautiful woman she still remainedlazy; but as the servants always dressed and undressed her, and arrangedher hair, she looked very charming, and nobody thought about her faults. 

At last she was married to a brave warrior, and went away with him tolive in another house where there were but few servants. She was sorrynot to have as many servants as she had had at home, because she wasobliged to do several things for herself which other folks had alwaysdone for her, and it was a great deal of trouble to her to dressherself, and take care of her own clothes, and keep herself looking neatand pretty to please her husband. But as he was a warrior, and often hadto be far away from home with the army, she could sometimes be just aslazy as she wished, and her husband's parents were very old andgood-natured, and never scolded her. 

Well, one night while her husband was away with the army, she wasawakened by queer little noises in her room. By the light of a big paperlantern she could see very well, and she saw strange things. 

Hundreds of little men, dressed just like Japanese warriors, but onlyabout one inch high, were dancing all around her pillow. They wore thesame kind of dress her husband wore on holidays (_Kamishimo_, a longrobe with square shoulders), and their hair was tied up in knots, andeach wore two tiny swords. They all looked at her as they danced, andlaughed, and they all sang the same song over and over again:

 "Chin-chin Kobakama, Yomo fuké sōro-- Oshizumare, Hime-gimi!-- Ya ton ton!--"

Which meant: "We are the Chin-chin Kobakama; the hour is late; sleep, honorable, noble darling!"

The words seemed very polite, but she soon saw that the little men wereonly making cruel fun of her. They also made ugly faces at her. 

She tried to catch some of them, but they jumped about so quickly thatshe could not. Then she tried to drive them away, but they would not go, and they never stopped singing:

 "Chin-chin Kobakama. .. . "

and laughing at her. Then she knew they were little fairies, and becameso frightened that she could not even cry out. They danced around heruntil morning; then they all vanished suddenly. 

She was ashamed to tell anybody what had happened, because, as she wasthe wife of a warrior, she did not wish anybody to know how frightenedshe had been. 

Next night, again, the little men came and danced; and they came alsothe night after that, and every night, always at the same hour, whichthe old Japanese used to call the "hour of the ox"; that is, abouttwo o'clock in the morning by our time. At last she became very sick, through want of sleep and through fright. But the little men would notleave her alone. 

When her husband came back home he was very sorry to find her sick inbed. At first she was afraid to tell him what had made her ill, for fearthat he would laugh at her. But he was so kind, and coaxed her sogently, that after a while she told him what happened every night. 

He did not laugh at her at all, but looked very serious for a time. Thenhe asked:

"At what time do they come?"

She answered, "Always at the same hour--the 'hour of the ox. '"

"Very well, " said her husband; "to-night I shall hide, and watch forthem. Do not be frightened. "

So that night the warrior hid himself in a closet in the sleeping-room, and kept watch through a chink between the sliding doors. 

He waited and watched until the "hour of the ox. " Then, all at once, thelittle men came up through the mats, and began their dance and theirsong:

 "Chin-chin Kobakama, Yomo fuké sōro. .. . "

They looked so queer, and danced in such a funny way, that the warriorcould scarcely keep from laughing. But he saw his young wife'sfrightened face; and then, remembering that nearly all Japanese ghostsand goblins are afraid of a sword, he drew his blade and rushed out ofthe closet, and struck at the little dancers. Immediately they allturned into--what do you think?

 _Toothpicks!_

There were no more little warriors--only a lot of old toothpicksscattered over the mats. 

The young wife had been too lazy to put her toothpicks away properly;and every day, after having used a new toothpick, she would stick itdown between the mats on the floor, to get rid of it. So the littlefairies who take care of the floor-mats became angry with her, andtormented her. 

Her husband scolded her, and she was so ashamed that she did not knowwhat to do. A servant was called, and the toothpicks were taken away andburned, and after that the little men never came back again. 

THE WONDERFUL MALLET

Once upon a time there were two brothers. The elder was an honest andgood man, but he was very poor, while the younger, who was dishonest andstingy, had managed to pile up a large fortune. The name of the elderwas Kané, and that of the younger was Chô. 

Now, one day Kané went to Chô's house, and begged for the loan of someseed-rice and some silkworms' eggs, for last season had beenunfortunate, and he was in want of both. 

Chô had plenty of good rice and excellent silkworms' eggs, but he wassuch a miser that he did not want to lend them. At the same time, hefelt ashamed to refuse his brother's request, so he gave him someworm-eaten musty rice and some dead eggs, which he felt sure would neverhatch. 

Kané, never suspecting that his brother would play him such a shabbytrick, put plenty of mulberry leaves with the eggs, to be food for thesilkworms when they should appear. Appear they did, and throve and grewwonderfully, much better than those of the stingy brother, who was angryand jealous when he heard of it. 

Going to Kané's house one day, and finding his brother was out, Chô tooka knife and killed all the silkworms, cutting each poor little creaturein two; then he went home without having been seen by anybody. 

When Kané came home he was dismayed to find his silkworms in this state, but he did not suspect who had done him this bad trick, and tried tofeed them with mulberry leaves as before. The silkworms came to lifeagain, and doubled the number, for now each half was a living worm. Theygrew and throve, and the silk they spun was twice as much as Kané hadexpected. So now he began to prosper. 

The envious Chô, seeing this, cut all his own silkworms in half, but, alas! they did not come to life again, so he lost a great deal of money, and became more jealous than ever. 

Kané also planted the rice-seed which he had borrowed from his brother, and it sprang up, and grew and flourished far better than Chô's haddone. 

The rice ripened well, and he was just intending to cut and harvest itwhen a flight of thousands upon thousands of swallows came and began todevour it. Kané was much astonished, and shouted and made as much noiseas he could in order to drive them away. They flew away, indeed, butcame back immediately, so that he kept driving them away, and they keptflying back again. 

At last he pursued them into a distant field, where he lost sight ofthem. He was by this time so hot and tired that he sat down to rest. Bylittle and little his eyes closed, his head dropped upon a mossy bank, and he fell fast asleep. 

Then he dreamed that a merry band of children came into the field, laughing and shouting. They sat down upon the ground in a ring, and onewho seemed the eldest, a boy of fourteen or fifteen, came close to thebank on which he lay asleep, and, raising a big stone near his head, drew from under it a small wooden Mallet. 

Then in his dream Kané saw this big boy stand in the middle of the ringwith the Mallet in his hand, and ask the children each in turn, "Whatwould you like the Mallet to bring you?" The first child answered, "Akite. " The big boy shook the Mallet, upon which appeared immediately afine kite with tail and string all complete. The next cried, "Abattledore. " Out sprang a splendid battledore and a shower ofshuttlecocks. Then a little girl shyly whispered, "A doll. " The Malletwas shaken, and there stood a beautifully dressed doll. "I should likeall the fairy-tale books that have ever been written in the wholeworld, " said a bright-eyed intelligent maiden, and no sooner had shespoken than piles upon piles of beautiful books appeared. And so at lastthe wishes of all the children were granted, and they stayed a long timein the field with the things the Mallet had given them. At last they gottired, and prepared to go home; the big boy first carefully hiding theMallet under the stone from whence he had taken it. Then all thechildren went away. 

Presently Kané awoke, and gradually remembered his dream. In preparingto rise he turned round, and there, close to where his head had lain, was the big stone he had seen in his dream. "How strange!" he thought, expecting he hardly knew what; he raised the stone, and there lay theMallet!

He took it home with him, and, following the example of the children hehad seen in his dream, shook it, at the same time calling out, "Gold" or"Rice, " "Silk" or "Saké. " Whatever he called for flew immediately out ofthe Mallet, so that he could have everything he wanted, and as much ofit as he liked. 

Kané being now a rich and prosperous man, Chô was of course jealous ofhim, and determined to find a magic mallet which would do as much forhim. He came, therefore, to Kané and borrowed seed-rice, which heplanted and tended with care, being impatient for it to grow and ripensoon. 

It grew well and ripened soon, and now Chô watched daily for theswallows to appear. And, to be sure, one day a flight of swallows cameand began to eat up the rice. 

Chô was delighted at this, and drove them away, pursuing them to thedistant field where Kané had followed them before. There he lay down, intending to go to sleep as his brother had done, but the more he triedto go to sleep the wider awake he seemed. 

Presently the band of children came skipping and jumping, so he shut hiseyes and pretended to be asleep, but all the time watched anxiously whatthe children would do. They sat down in a ring, as before, and the bigboy came close to Chô's head and lifted the stone. He put down his handto lift the Mallet, but no mallet was there. 

One of the children said, "Perhaps that lazy old farmer has taken ourMallet. " So the big boy laid hold of Chô's nose, which was rather long, and gave it a good pinch, and all the other children ran up and pinchedand pulled his nose, and the nose itself got longer and longer; first ithung down to his chin, then over his chest, next down to his knees, andat last to his very feet. 

It was in vain that Chô protested his innocence; the children pinchedand pummeled him to their hearts' content, then capered round him, shouting and laughing, and making game of him, and so at last went away. 

Now Chô was left alone, a sad and angry man. Holding his long nosepainfully in both hands, he slowly took his way toward his brotherKané's house. Here he related all that had happened to him from the veryday when he had behaved so badly about the seed-rice and silkworms'eggs. He humbly begged his brother to pardon him, and, if possible, dosomething to restore his unfortunate nose to its proper size. 

The kind-hearted Kané pitied him, and said: "You have been dishonestand mean, and selfish and envious, and that is why you have got thispunishment. If you promise to behave better for the future, I will trywhat can be done. "

So saying, he took the Mallet and rubbed Chô's nose with it gently, andthe nose gradually became shorter and shorter until at last it came backto its proper shape and size. But ever after, if at any time Chô feltinclined to be selfish and dishonest, as he did now and then, his nosebegan to smart and burn, and he fancied he felt it beginning to grow. Sogreat was his terror of having a long nose again that these symptomsnever failed to bring him back to his good behavior. 

THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS

A Sparrow once built a nice little house for herself, and lined it wellwith wool and protected it with sticks, so that it resisted equally thesummer sun and the winter rains. A Crow who lived close by had alsobuilt a house, but it was not such a good one, being only made of a fewsticks laid one above another on the top of a prickly-pear hedge. Theconsequence was that one day, when there was an unusually heavy shower, the Crow's nest was washed away, while the Sparrow's was not at allinjured. 

In this extremity the Crow and her mate went to the Sparrow, and said:"Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, for the windblows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick intoour eyes. " But the Sparrow answered: "I'm cooking the dinner; I cannotlet you in now; come again presently. "

In a little while the Crows returned and said: "Sparrow, Sparrow, havepity on us and give us shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our eyes. " The Sparrowanswered: "I'm eating my dinner; I cannot let you in now; come againpresently. "

The Crows flew away, but in a little while returned, and cried oncemore: "Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, for thewind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stickinto our eyes. " The Sparrow replied: "I'm washing my dishes; I cannotlet you in now; come again presently. "

The Crows waited a while and then called out: "Sparrow, Sparrow, havepity on us and give us shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our eyes. " But the Sparrowwould not let them in; she only answered: "I'm sweeping the floor; Icannot let you in now; come again presently. "

Next time the Crows came and cried: "Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on usand give us shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and theprickly-pear hedge-thorns stick into our eyes. " She answered: "I'mmaking the beds; I cannot let you in now; come again presently. "

So, on one pretense or another she refused to help the poor birds. Atlast, when she and her children had had their dinner, and she hadprepared and put away the dinner for next day, and had put all thechildren to bed and gone to bed herself, she cried to the Crows: "Youmay come in now and take shelter for the night. " The Crows came in, butthey were much vexed at having been kept out so long in the wind and therain, and when the Sparrow and all her family were asleep, the one saidto the other: "This selfish Sparrow had no pity on us; she gave us nodinner, and would not let us in till she and all her children werecomfortably in bed; let us punish her. " So the two Crows took all thenice dinner the Sparrow had prepared for herself and her children to eatthe next day, and flew away with it. 

 [Illustration: THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS]

THE STORY OF ZIRAC

Once upon a time a raven, a rat, and a tortoise, having agreed to befriends together, were having a pleasant chat when they saw a wild goatmaking its way toward them with surprising swiftness. They took it forgranted by her speed that she was pursued by some hunter, and they atonce without ceremony separated, every one to take care of himself. Thetortoise slipped into the water, the rat crept into a hole, which hefortunately found near at hand, and the raven hid himself among theboughs of a very high tree. In the meantime the goat stopped quitesuddenly, and stood to rest herself by the side of a fountain, when theraven, who had looked all round and perceived no one, called to thetortoise, who immediately peeped above the water, and seeing the goatafraid to drink, said: "Drink boldly, my friend, for the water is veryclear. "

After the goat had done so, the tortoise continued: "Pray tell me whatis the reason you appear in such distress?"

"Reason enough, " said the goat; "for I have just made my escape out ofthe hands of a hunter, who pursued me with an eager chase. "

"Come, " said the tortoise, "I am glad you are safe. I have an offer tomake you. If you like our company, stay here and be one of our friends;you will find our hearts honest and our company useful to you. The sagessay that a number of friends lessens trouble. "

After this short speech the raven and the rat joined in the invitation, so that the goat at once promised to become one of them, each promisingthe other to prove himself a real and true friend whatever might happenin days to come. After this agreement these four friends lived inperfect harmony for a very long time, and spent their time pleasantlytogether. But one day, as the tortoise, the rat, and the raven were met, as they used to do, by the side of the fountain, the goat was missing. This gave great trouble to them, as they knew not what had happened. They very soon came to a resolution, however, to seek for and assist thegoat, so the raven at once mounted into the air to see what discoverieshe could make; and looking round about him, at length, to his greatsorrow, saw at a distance the poor goat entangled in a hunter's net. Heimmediately dropped down in order to acquaint the rat and tortoise withwhat he had seen; and you may be sure that these ill tidings causedgreat grief. 

"What shall we do?" said they. 

"We have promised firm friendship to one another and lived very happilytogether so long, " said the tortoise, "that it would be shameful tobreak the bond and not act up to all we said. We cannot leave ourinnocent and good-natured companion in this dire distress and greatdanger. No! we must find some way to deliver our poor friend goat out ofcaptivity. "

Said the raven to the rat, who was nicknamed Zirac: "Remember, Oexcellent Zirac, there is none but thyself able to set our friend atliberty; and the business must be quickly done for fear the huntsmanshould lay his hands upon her. "

"Doubt not, " replied Zirac, "but that I will do my best, so let us go atonce that no time may be lost. "

On this the raven took up Zirac in his bill and flew with him to theplace where the poor goat was confined in the net. No sooner had hearrived than he at once commenced to gnaw the meshes of the net thatheld the goat's foot and had almost set him at liberty when the tortoisearrived. 

As soon as the goat saw the tortoise she cried out with a loud voice:"Oh, why have you ventured to come hither, friend tortoise?"

"Because I could no longer bear your absence, " replied the tortoise. 

"Dear friend, " said the goat, "your coming to this place troubles me asmuch as the loss of my own liberty; for if the hunter should happen tocome, what would you do to make your escape? For my part I am almostfree, and my being able to run will prevent me from falling into hishands again; our friend the raven can find safety in flight, and Ziraccan run into any hole. Only you, who are so slow of foot, will becomethe hunter's prey. " No sooner had the goat thus spoken, when sure enoughthe hunter appeared; but the goat, being free, swiftly ran away; theraven mounted into the air, and Zirac slipped into a hole, and trueenough, as the goat had said, only the slow-paced tortoise remainedwithout help. 

When the hunter arrived he was a little surprised to see his net brokenand the goat missing. This was no small vexation to him, and caused himto look closely around, to see if he could discover who had done themischief; and unfortunately, in thus searching, he spied the tortoise. 

"Oh! oh!" said he. "Very good; I am glad to see you here. I find I shallnot go home empty-handed after all; here is a plump tortoise, and thatis worth something, I'm sure. " Thus saying, he took up the tortoise, putit in a sack, threw the sack over his shoulder, and was soon trudginghome. 

After he had gone the three friends came out from their severalhiding-places, and met together, when, missing the tortoise, they atonce judged what had become of him. Then, uttering bitter cries andlamentations, they shed torrents of tears. At length the raven broke thesilence, and said: "Dear friends, our moans and sorrow do not help thetortoise. We must, if it be at all possible, devise some means of savinghis life. Our sages have often told us that there are three persons thatare never well known but on special occasions--men of courage in fight, men of honesty in business, and a true friend in extreme necessity. Wefind, alas! our dear companion the tortoise is in a sad condition, andtherefore we must, if possible, help him. "

"It is first-class advice, " replied Zirac. "Now I think I know how itcan be done. Let our friend the goat go and show herself to the hunter, who will then be certain to lay down the sack to run after her. "

"All right, " said the goat, "I will pretend to be lame, and run limpingat a little distance before him, which will encourage him to follow me, and thus draw him a good way from his sack, which will give Zirac timeto set our friend at liberty. "

This plan appeared such a good one that it was at once approved of, andimmediately the goat ran halting before the hunter, and appeared to beso feeble and faint that her pursuer thought he had her safe in hisclutches again, and so, laying down his sack, ran after the goat withall his might. That cunning creature suffered him now and again almostto come up to her, and then led him another wild-goose chase till atlast she had lured him out of sight; which Zirac seeing, began gnawingthe string that tied the mouth of the sack, and soon set free thetortoise, who went at once and hid himself in a thick bush. 

 [Illustration: "OH, WHY HAVE YOU VENTURED TO COME?"]

At length the hunter, tired of running after his prey, gave up thechase, and returned to take up his sack. 

"Here, " said he, "I have something safe; thou art not quite so swift asthat plaguing goat; and if thou wert, art too well confined here to findthe way to make thy little legs any use to thee. " So saying, he went tothe bag, but not finding the tortoise he was amazed, and thought himselfin a region of hobgoblins and spirits, since he had by some mysteriousmeans lost two valuable objects, a goat and a tortoise! He did not know, you see, what wonders true friendship can work when all are pledged tohelp one another. 

The four friends soon met together again, congratulated one another ontheir escapes, made afresh their vows of friendship, and declared thatthey would never separate until death parted them. 

MY LORD BAG OF RICE

Long, long ago there lived in Japan a brave warrior known to all asTawara Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice. " His true name was FujiwaraHidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to changehis name. 

One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the natureof a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his twoswords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, andslinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not gone far when hecame to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the beautifulLake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he saw lyingright across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so big that itlooked like the trunk of a large pine tree and it took up the wholewidth of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested on the parapet of oneside of the bridge, while its tail lay right against the other. Themonster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke came outof its nostrils. 

At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of thishorrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or walkright over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting aside allfear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch; he stepped now on thedragon's body, now between its coils, and without even one glancebackward he went on his way. 

He had only gone a few steps when he heard some one calling him frombehind. On turning back he was much surprised to see that the monsterdragon had entirely disappeared and in its place was a strange-lookingman, who was bowing most ceremoniously to the ground. His red hairstreamed over his shoulders and was surmounted by a crown in the shapeof a dragon's head, and his sea-green dress was patterned with shells. Hidesato knew at once that this was no ordinary mortal and he wonderedmuch at the strange occurrence. Where had the dragon gone in such ashort space of time? Or had it transformed itself into this man, andwhat did the whole thing mean? While these thoughts passed through hismind he had come up to the man on the bridge and now addressed him:

"Was it you that called me just now?"

"Yes, it was I, " answered the man; "I have an earnest request to make toyou. Do you think you can grant it to me?"

"If it is in my power to do so I will, " answered Hidesato, "but firsttell me who you are?"

"I am the Dragon King of the Lake, and my home is in these waters justunder this bridge. "

"And what is it you have to ask of me?" said Hidesato. 

"I want you to kill my mortal enemy the centipede, who lives on themountain beyond, " and the Dragon King pointed to a high peak on theopposite shore of the lake. 

"I have lived now for many years in this lake and I have a large familyof children and grandchildren. For some time past we have lived interror, for a monster centipede has discovered our home, and night afternight it comes and carries off one of my family. I am powerless to savethem. If it goes on much longer like this, not only shall I lose allmy children, but I myself must fall a victim to the monster. I am, therefore, very unhappy, and in my extremity I determined to ask thehelp of a human being. For many days with this intention I have waitedon the bridge in the shape of the horrible serpent-dragon that you saw, in the hope that some strong brave man would come along. But all whocame this way, as soon as they saw me were terrified and ran away asfast as they could. You are the first man I have found able to look atme without fear, so I knew at once that you were a man of great courage. I beg you to have pity upon me. Will you not help me and kill my enemythe centipede?"

Hidesato felt very sorry for the Dragon King on hearing his story, andreadily promised to do what he could to help him. The warrior askedwhere the centipede lived, so that he might attack the creature atonce. The Dragon King replied that its home was on the mountain Mikami, but that as it came every night at a certain hour to the palace of thelake, it would be better to wait till then. So Hidesato was conducted tothe palace of the Dragon King, under the bridge. Strange to say, as hefollowed his host downward the waters parted to let them pass, and hisclothes did not even feel damp as he passed through the flood. Never hadHidesato seen anything so beautiful as this palace built of white marblebeneath the lake. He had often heard of the Sea King's Palace at thebottom of the sea, where all the servants and retainers were salt-waterfishes, but here was a magnificent building in the heart of Lake Biwa. The dainty goldfishes, red carp, and silvery trout, waited upon theDragon King and his guest. 

Hidesato was astonished at the feast that was spread for him. The disheswere crystallized lotus leaves and flowers, and the chopsticks were ofthe rarest ebony. As soon as they sat down, the sliding doors openedand ten lovely goldfish dancers came out, and behind them followed tenred-carp musicians with the koto and the samisen. Thus the hours flewby till midnight, and the beautiful music and dancing had banished allthoughts of the centipede. The Dragon King was about to pledge thewarrior in a fresh cup of wine when the palace was suddenly shaken by atramp, tramp! as if a mighty army had begun to march not far away. 

Hidesato and his host both rose to their feet and rushed to the balcony, and the warrior saw on the opposite mountain two great balls of glowingfire coming nearer and nearer. The Dragon King stood by the warrior'sside trembling with fear. 

"The centipede! The centipede! Those two balls of fire are its eyes. Itis coming for its prey! Now is the time to kill it. "

Hidesato looked where his host pointed, and, in the dim light of thestarlit evening, behind the two balls of fire he saw the long body of anenormous centipede winding round the mountains, and the light in itshundred feet glowed like so many distant lanterns moving slowly towardthe shore. 

Hidesato showed not the least sign of fear. He tried to calm the DragonKing. 

"Don't be afraid. I shall surely kill the centipede. Just bring me mybow and arrows. "

The Dragon King did as he was bid, and the warrior noticed that he hadonly three arrows left in his quiver. He took the bow, and fitting anarrow to the notch, took careful aim and let fly. 

The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head, but insteadof penetrating, it glanced off harmless and fell to the ground. 

Nothing daunted, Hidesato took another arrow, fitted it to the notch ofthe bow and let fly. Again the arrow hit the mark, it struck thecentipede right in the middle of its head, only to glance off and fallto the ground. The centipede was invulnerable to weapons! When theDragon King saw that even this brave warrior's arrows were powerless tokill the centipede, he lost heart and began to tremble with fear. 

The warrior saw that he had now only one arrow left in his quiver, andif this one failed he could not kill the centipede. He looked across thewaters. The huge reptile had wound its horrid body seven times round themountain and would soon come down to the lake. Nearer and nearer gleamedthe fire-balls of eyes, and the light of its hundred feet began to throwreflections in the still waters of the lake. 

Then suddenly the warrior remembered that he had heard that human salivawas deadly to centipedes. But this was no ordinary centipede. This wasso monstrous that even to think of such a creature made one creep withhorror. Hidesato determined to try his last chance. So taking his lastarrow and first putting the end of it in his mouth, he fitted the notchto his bow, took careful aim once more and let fly. 

This time the arrow again hit the centipede right in the middle of itshead, but instead of glancing off harmlessly as before it struck home tothe creature's brain. Then with a convulsive shudder the serpentine bodystopped moving, and the fiery light of its great eyes and hundred feetdarkened to a dull glare like the sunset of a stormy day, and then wentout in blackness. A great darkness now overspread the heavens, thethunder rolled and the lightning flashed, and the wind roared in fury, and it seemed as if the world were coming to an end. The Dragon King andhis children and retainers all crouched in different parts of thepalace, frightened to death, for the building was shaken to itsfoundations. At last the dreadful night was over. Day dawned beautifuland clear. The centipede was gone from the mountain. 

Then Hidesato called to the Dragon King to come out with him on thebalcony, for the centipede was dead and he had nothing more to fear. 

Then all the inhabitants of the palace came out with joy, and Hidesatopointed to the lake. There lay the body of the dead centipede floatingon the water, which was dyed red with its blood. 

The gratitude of the Dragon King knew no bounds. The whole family cameand bowed down before the warrior, calling him their preserver and thebravest warrior in all Japan. 

Another feast was prepared, more sumptuous than the first. All kinds offish, prepared in every imaginable way, raw, stewed, boiled and roasted, served on coral trays and crystal dishes, were put before him, and thewine was the best that Hidesato had ever tasted in his life. To add tothe beauty of everything the sun shone brightly, the lake glittered likea liquid diamond, and the palace was a thousand times more beautiful byday than by night. 

His host tried to persuade the warrior to stay a few days, but Hidesatoinsisted on going home, saying that he had now finished what he had cometo do, and must return. The Dragon King and his family were all verysorry to have him leave so soon, but since he would go they beggedhim to accept a few small presents (so they said) in token of theirgratitude to him for delivering them for ever from their horrible enemythe centipede. 

As the warrior stood in the porch taking leave, a train of fish wassuddenly transformed into a retinue of men, all wearing ceremonial robesand dragon's crowns on their heads to show that they were servants ofthe great Dragon King. The presents that they carried were as follows:

 First, a large bronze bell. Second, a bag of rice. Third, a roll of silk. Fourth, a cooking pot. Fifth, a bell. 

Hidesato did not want to accept all these presents, but as the DragonKing insisted, he could not well refuse. 

The Dragon King himself accompanied the warrior as far as the bridge, and then took leave of him with many bows and good wishes, leaving theprocession of servants to accompany Hidesato to his house with thepresents. 

The warrior's household and servants had been very much concerned whenthey found that he did not return the night before, but they finallyconcluded that he had been kept by the violent storm and had takenshelter somewhere. When the servants on the watch for his return caughtsight of him they called to every one that he was approaching, and thewhole household turned out to meet him, wondering much what the retinueof men, bearing presents and banners, that followed him, could mean. 

As soon as the Dragon King's retainers had put down the presents theyvanished, and Hidesato told all that had happened to him. 

The presents which he had received from the grateful Dragon King werefound to be of magic power. The bell only was ordinary, and as Hidesatohad no use for it he presented it to the temple near by, where it washung up, to boom out the hour of day over the surrounding neighborhood. 

The single bag of rice, however much was taken from it day after day forthe meals of the knight and his whole family, never grew less--thesupply in the bag was inexhaustible. 

The roll of silk, too, never grew shorter, though time after time longpieces were cut off to make the warrior a new suit of clothes to go toCourt in at the New Year. 

The cooking pot was wonderful, too. No matter what was put into it, itcooked deliciously whatever was wanted without any firing--truly a veryeconomical saucepan. 

The fame of Hidesato's fortune spread far and wide, and as there was noneed for him to spend money on rice or silk or firing, he became veryrich and prosperous, and was henceforth known as _My Lord Bag of Rice_. 

 [Illustration]

THE LITTLE HARE OF OKI

_A Japanese Fairy Tale_

RETOLD BY B. M. BURRELL

Alice lived in New York, but she still had the nurse who had taken careof her when she was a tiny baby in far-away Japan. Nurse wore thepicturesque kimono and obi of her native land, and looked so differentfrom other people that friends often wondered how Alice could feel athome with her. Love, however, is the same the world over, and no oneloved Alice better than did her little Japanese nurse. 

When Papa and Mama were at dinner, and Alice and Nurse had the libraryall to themselves till bedtime, the little girl would often pull twochairs up to the fire and say coaxingly:

"There is just time for a story!" And Nurse would smile her funnyJapanese smile and begin:

"Long, long ago, when the great Japanese gods ruled from high heaven, --"

This was the beginning Alice liked best, for it meant that a fairy talewould follow. And Nurse would perhaps continue:

"--a little hare lived on the island of Oki. It was a beautiful island, but the hare was not satisfied: he wished to get to the mainland. He didnot know how to manage this; but one day he thought of a plan. Hoppingdown to the shore, he waited till a crocodile came out to sun himself, then opened a conversation with him. 

"'There are, I suppose, many crocodiles in the sea, ' he began. 

"'Many, many!' the crocodile answered. 

"'Not so many, however, as there are hares on the island of Oki, 'returned the little hare. 

"'The crocodiles in the sea outnumber the hares of Oki as the drops inthe sea outnumber the trees of the island, ' declared the crocodile, inhis deepest voice. 

"'It does not seem right for a little bit of a creature like myself todiffer with your lordship, ' said the hare, politely, 'but I should liketo see a proof of your statement. '

"'How can we prove it?' the crocodile questioned. 

"'You can call all your friends and place them from here to themainland, each with his nose on the tail of the neighbor before him;then I can easily jump from one to the other, counting as I go. '

"The crocodile agreed to this plan, thinking it a good one. 'But how canwe count the hares?' he asked. 

"'That we will decide after I have numbered the crocodiles, ' the haresuggested. 

"The crocodile was satisfied, and bade the hare come to the same placenext morning to do the counting. Of course the little animal was on handbright and early. 

"There stretched an unbroken line of crocodiles, a floating bridge tothe mainland!

"The little hare lost no time hopping across it, you may be sure. As hereached the last crocodile and prepared to jump to shore, his heart wasso full of pride at the success of his ruse that he could not resistcrying aloud:

"'How I have fooled you big creatures! I wished for a bridge to themainland, and you have served my need!' Then he jumped. 

"The last crocodile opened his wide jaws and closed them again with asnap. The hare was too quick to be caught, but the monster's teethtouched him and tore off most of his fur! As the poor thing limped away, a crocodile called after him:

"'You see what happens when you trifle with creatures stronger thanyourself!'

"The little hare did not know much, but he felt that he was learning. Hehad no heart to explore the beauties of the mainland now, but crawledunder a bush by the roadside and wished that some one would tell him howto cure his wounds. 

"After some time he heard the noise of many people on the road. He creptout to see what was coming, and beheld a crowd of young men, carryingburdens as if they were on a journey. They were all tall and handsome, and wore beautiful clothes fit for princes. 

"One of them spied the little hare and cried: 'Well, friend, why do youlook so sad?'

"The hare, proud of being called 'friend' by this fine gentleman, toldhow he had deceived the crocodiles. The men laughed loudly, and one ofthem said: 'Since you are so clever, it is strange that you do not knowthe best way to cure your wounds. You should bathe in the salt sea, andthen climb a hill so that the Wind Goddess can blow upon you with hercool breath. '

 [Illustration: THE PRINCESS AND THE HARE]

"The little hare thanked the strangers for their advice, and then askedthem where they were journeying. They replied that they were eighty-oneprinces, all wishing to marry the princess of that country. She was veryrich, and the responsibility of managing her wealth and kingdom was toomuch for her; so she had given notice that she desired to marry a wiseand noble prince whom she could trust to rule for her. 

"'So wealth and power do not always bring content?' the hare questioned. 

"'They would content us!' the eighty princes answered. (The eighty-firstwas not present. He was of a kindly and gentle disposition, which causedhis brothers to laugh at and impose upon him. To-day they had given himmost of the luggage to carry, so he could not walk as fast as they. ) Asthey started on the way, one of the princes called to the hare:'Good-by! And don't forget to bathe your wounds in the salt sea!' Andwith loud laughter they continued their journey. 

"The little hare did not give himself time to forget. He hurried to theshore and let the waves roll over him, but instead of making him feelbetter, the biting salt water only increased his pain. 

"'I must hurry to the Wind Goddess, ' the poor hare thought. 

"He climbed the high hill with difficulty and lay down on the top, hoping for relief from his suffering. But the stiff grass pricked hiswounds, and the biting wind caused them to throb more painfully. At lasthe realized that the cruel princes had deceived him, and he crawled backto his bush by the roadside, where he lay with closed eyes. 

"A gentle voice roused him. 'Who has wounded you, little hare?' itasked. 

 [Illustration: THE GOOD-NATURED PRINCE AND THE PRINCESS]

"The little hare looked up and saw a beautiful youth standing besidehim. His experience with men made him think that it would be best to flyfrom the stranger; but the young man's kind glance conquered his fear, and he answered: 'I left the island of Oki to see the wonders of themainland, and I have fared badly from the exchange. ' Then he told oncemore how he had left the island, and also about the bad advice theeighty princes had given him. 

"The young man sighed. 'They used you ill, little creature, ' he said. 'You learned that it is foolish to meddle with beings stronger thanyourself; now you see how wicked it is to torment those weaker. Mybrother princes should have told you to bathe in the fresh water of theriver and to lie on the soft rushes. Now, good-by, little friend. Maygood luck attend you!' And he walked quietly away, bending beneath thelarge burden he carried. 

"The little hare knew that the stranger was the eighty-first of theprinces, and so for a time, he feared to follow his advice. But he wasin such pain that he decided to go to the river, which flowed like asilver ribbon through the fields toward the ocean. Into the cool waterhe plunged and immediately felt better, as the sand and bitter salt ofthe sea were washed from his wounds. Then he took a nap on the softrushes. 

"When he awoke he no longer was in pain, so he was filled with gratitudetoward the young prince who had given him such kind and wise advice. Hesat up, feeling quite strong again, and tried to think of a way in whichhe could repay his benefactor. In the distance he saw the roofs of theprincess's palace rising among the trees which surrounded it. This gavehim an idea, and he lost no time in carrying it out. 

"Across the fields he hopped toward the palace, never stopping till hereached the garden wall. He crept in under the high gate, and therestood the princess under a cherry-tree covered with blossoms. Thelittle hare went up to her and said respectfully:

"'Gracious Princess, I bring to you advice, if you will accept it fromso insignificant a person as I. '

"'Speak, little hare, ' the beautiful princess answered, for she knewthat the best things are often found in unexpected places, and thingsare not always what they seem to be. 

"'Eighty princes are coming to-day as suitors for your hand. They aredressed in rich and beautiful robes, and their faces are gay andsmiling; but all that is only to hide the cruelty of their hearts. Following them is a young man who is as wise as he is kind and gentle. Turn the eighty from your gate, but honor the youngest suitor as greaterthan they. '

"'How do you know all this?' the princess questioned. 

"So the little hare told his story for the third time, speaking soearnestly that the princess could not fail to be impressed by it. Shethanked him for his advice, and after giving him some tender leavesto eat, prepared to receive the eighty-one brothers. They came a fewminutes later, resplendent in the magnificent clothes they had put on inthe princess's honor. Indeed, they all looked so handsome that she foundit hard to believe the story of their cruelty. While they were talkingof their journey to her kingdom, however, some of the princes told howthey had made sport of a little hare too stupid to know that salt wasnot the best thing for open wounds, and she noticed that the youngestbrother was the only one who did not enjoy the story. At this, ragefilled her gentle heart. 

"'Turn out the eighty princes!' she cried to her attendants; 'no one whois cruel to so small a creature as a little hare is fit to rule over akingdom. But with you, ' she added, turning to the youngest prince, 'willI share my throne, for you are a wise and merciful man. '

"You may be sure the youngest prince was happy to hear that, for, afteronce seeing the beautiful princess, the thought of parting from her waslike lead in his breast. 

"So the cruel brothers were drummed out of the palace with shouts ofscorn; but the gentle prince and princess went into the garden to thankthe little hare. They could not find him, however, search as they would;for as soon as he learned of the success of his plan, he had hopped awayto see the world, wiser for his day's experiences. "

"Is that all?" Alice asked. 

"That is all, " Nurse answered. "And now it is time for you to go tobed. "

 [Illustration: Top of a steel war-hat Some of the eighty ill-natured and greatly dissatisfied princes Another war-hat]

 [Illustration: THE LITTLE BROTHER OF LOO-LEE LOO]

By MARGARET JOHNSON

 [Illustration]

 In flowery, fair Cathay, That kingdom far away, Where, odd as it seems, 't is always night when here we are having day, In the time of the great Ching-Wang, In the city of proud Shi-Bang, In the glorious golden days of old when sage and poet sang, There lived a nobleman who Was known as the Prince Choo-Choo. (It was long before the Chinaman wore his beautiful silken queue. ) A learned prince was he, As rich as a prince could be, And his house so gay had a grand gateway, and a wonderful roof, sky-blue. 

 His garden was bright with tints Of blossoming peach and quince, And a million flowers whose like has not been seen before or since; And set 'mid delicate odors Were cute little toy pagodas, That looked exactly as if you _might_ go in for ice-cream sodas!

 A silver fountain played In a bowl of carven jade, And pink and white in a crystal pond the waterlilies swayed. But never a flower that grew In the garden of Prince Choo-Choo Was half so fair as his daughter there, the Princess Loo-lee Loo. 

 [Illustration: LOO-LEE LOO]

 Each day she came and sat Oh her queer little bamboo mat. (And I hope she carried a doll or two, but I can't be sure of that!) She watched the fountain toss, And she gazed the bridge across, And she worked a bit of embroidery fine with a thread of silken floss. 

 [Illustration: LOO-LEE LOO AND LITTLE FING-WEE]

 She touched her wee guitar, The gift of her prince-papa, And she hummed a queer little Chinese tune with a Chinese tra-la-la! It was all that she had to do To keep her from feeling blue, For terribly lonely and dull sometimes was poor little Loo-lee Loo. 

 Her father had kites to fly Far up in the free blue sky (For a Chinaman loves with this elegant sport his leisure to occupy); And what with his drums and gongs, And his numerous loud ding-dongs, He could have any day, in a princely way, a regular Fourth of July. 

 Her mother, the fair Su-See, Was as busy as she could be, Though she never went out, except, perhaps, to a neighboring afternoon tea; She was young herself, as yet, And the minutes that she could get She spent in studying up the rules of Elegant Etiquette. 

 So the princess nibbled her plums, And twirled her dear little thumbs, And lent sometimes a wistful ear to the beating of distant drums; Until one April day-- _Tsing Ming_, as they would say-- She saw at the gate a sight that straight took Loo-lee's breath away. 

 [Illustration: SU-SEE]

 Two dimples, soft and meek, In a brown little baby cheek, Two dear little eyes that met her own in a ravishing glance oblique; A chubby hand thrust through The palings of bamboo-- A little Celestial, dropped, it seemed, straight out of the shining blue. 

 A playmate, a friend, a toy, A live little baby boy-- Conceive, if you can, in her lonely state, the Princess Loo-lee's joy! How, as fast as her feet could toddle (Her shoes were a Chinese model), She hurried him in, and almost turned his dear little wondering noddle. 

 "Oh, is it, " she bent to say In her courteous Chinese way, "In my very contemptible garden, dear, your illustrious wish to play?" And when he nodded his head She knew that he would have said, "My insignificant feet are proud your honored estate to tread!"

 Oh, then, but the garden rang With laughter and joy--ting, tang! There was never a happier spot that day in the realm of the great Ching-Wang! And oh, but it waned too soon, That golden afternoon, When the princess played with her Ray of the Sun, her darling Beam of the Moon!

 For when the shadows crept Where the folded lilies slept, Out into the garden all at once the prince her father stepped, With a dignified air benign, And a smile on his features fine, And a perfectly gorgeous gown of silk embroidered with flower and vine. 

 A fan in his princely hand, Which he waved with a gesture bland (Instead of a gentleman's walking-stick it was carried, you understand), In splendor of girdle and shoe, In a glitter of gold and of blue, With the fair Su-See at his side came he, the lordly Prince Choo-Choo. 

 The princess bent her brow In a truly celestial bow, Saluted her father with filial grace, and made him the grand kotow. (For every child that's bright Knows well the rule that's right, That to knock your head on the ground nine times is the way to be polite. )

 "And, pray, what have we here?" In language kind though queer The prince observed. "It looks to me like a little boy, my dear!" "Why, that's what it is!" in glee The princess cried. "Fing-Wee-- Most Perfectly Peerless Prince-Papa, a dear little brother for me!"

 [Illustration: PRINCE CHOO-CHOO]

 Loud laughed the Prince Choo-Choo, And I fancy he said "Pooh-pooh!" (That sounds very much like a Chinese word, and expresses his feelings, too!) And the fair Su-See leaned low. "My Bud of the Rose, you know If little Fing-Wee our son should be, your honors to him must go!"

 But the princess's eyes were wet, For her dear little heart was set On having her way till she quite forgot her daughterly etiquette. "Oh, what do I care!" she said. "If he only may stay, " she plead, "I will give him the half of my bowl of rice and all of my fish and bread!"

 "Dear, dear!" said the Prince Choo-Choo, "Now here is a how-do-you-do! Is there nothing, O Jasmine-Flower, instead? A parasol pink or blue? A beautiful big balloon?" But she wept to the same old tune, "I'd rather have little Fing-Wee, papa, than anything under the moon!"

 Then the prince he called for lights, And he called for the Book of Rites, And all of the classical literature that he loved to read o' nights; And he read till the dawn of day In his very remarkable way, From end to beginning, from bottom to top, as only a Chinaman may. 

 [Illustration: THE TORTOISE TEST]

 "My father adopted a son, His father the same had done; Some thousands of years ago, it appears, the custom was thus begun. " He stopped for a pinch of snuff; His logic was sound, though tough; You may rightfully follow what plan you please, if it's only antique enough!

 "A son, " he thoughtfully said, "To serve me with rice and bread; To burn the paper above my grave and honor my aged head! Oh, try me the tortoise sign With a tortoise of ancient line: If he turns his toes straight in as he goes, the boy is certainly mine!"

 Oho! but the garden rang On that wonderful night--ting, tang! When a banquet meet was served the élite of the city of proud Shi-Bang! And all who passed that way Might read in letters gay As long as your arm: "The Prince Choo-Choo adopts a son to-day!"

 There was knocking of heads galore; There were trumpets and drums a score; The gay pavilions were lit with millions of lamps from ceiling to floor. And oh, but the chop-sticks flew In the palace of Prince Choo-Choo, And the gifts that were brought for the little Fing-Wee would fill me a chapter or two. 

 [Illustration: "AND THE GIFTS THAT WERE BROUGHT FOR THE LITTLE FING-WEE WOULD FILL ME A CHAPTER OR TWO"]

 But with never a single toy, The princess cried for joy, Nor cared she a jot that they all forgot it was she who had found the boy! Her dear little heart it sang Like a bird in her breast--ting, tang! There was never a happier child that night in the realm of the great Ching-Wang!

 And her mother, the fair Su-See, She looked at the little Fing-Wee-- There were mothers in China some thousands of years before you were born, trust me! She looked at the children two, And down in the dusk and the dew, With a tender mist in her eyes she kissed the Princess Loo-lee Loo!

 [Illustration]

 [Illustration]

THE CURIOUS CASE OF AH-TOP

(_A Chinese Legend_)

 [Illustration]

 The slant-eyed maidens, when they spied The cue of Ah-Top, gaily cried, "It is some mandarin!" The street-boys followed in a crowd; No wonder that Ah-Top was proud And wore a conscious grin!

 But one day Ah-Top's heart grew sad. "My fate, " he said, "is quite too bad! My cue will hang behind me. While others may its beauty know, To me there's naught its grace to show, And nothing to remind me. "

 [Illustration]

 At length he hit upon a plan, Exclaiming, "I'm a clever man! I know what I will do: I'll simply wheel myself around, And then the pigtail will be found Where I can see it, too. "

 He spun himself upon his toes, He almost fell upon his nose, He grew red in the face. But when Ah-Top could whirl no more, He found the pigtail as before, Resolved to keep its place. 

 "A'ha!" he cried, "I turned too slow. Next time, you see, I'll faster go. Besides, I stopped too soon. Now for a good one! Ah, but stay-- I'll turn myself the other way!" He looked like a balloon!

 So fast he whirled, his cue flew out And carried Ah-Top round about. An awful moment came-- The helpless spinner could not stop! The poor man had become a top! This gave the toy its name. 

 [Illustration: How it turned out. ]

THE JACKAL AND THE CAMEL

_A Hindu Tale_

The Jackal stood looking across the river where the crabs lay in the sunon the sand. 

"Oh, " said the Jackal, "if I could only swim, how good those crabs wouldbe! I wish I had a boat or a canoe!"

Just then the Camel came out of the woods. "Now, " said the Jackal, "if Ican only get the Camel to take me across the river! I can ride high upon his hump, and it will be just as good as a boat. "

"Good morning, friend, " said the Jackal to the Camel. "Are you hungry? Iknow a place where the sugar cane grows higher and sweeter than anywhereelse. "

"Where? Where?" cried the Camel. "Tell me, and I will go there at once. "

"I could take you to the place, " said the Jackal, "but it is across theriver, and I cannot swim. "

"Oh, " said the Camel, "that is all right. Get up on my back and I willtake you across, and you can show me where the sugar cane is. "

"All right, " said the Jackal, "and I will look along the bank of theriver and see if I can find any fat crabs on that side. "

"Jump up quickly, " said the Camel, "it makes me hungry just to think ofsugar cane. "

So the Jackal jumped up on the Camel's back, and the Camel swam acrossthe river, and the Jackal did not get the least bit wet, even the tip ofhis tail. (The Jackal does not like to get even the tip of his tailwet. )

When they were across the river the Camel went off to the patch of sugarcane, and the Jackal ate the crabs which lay out in the sun on the sand. It was not long until he had eaten as many crabs as he could, and wantedto go back to the other side of the river. So he went to where the Camelstood in the cane patch. 

"Why, have you finished your crabs?" asked the Camel. 

"Yes. I cannot eat another one. Let us go back. "

"Oh, " said the Camel, "I have hardly begun to eat yet. "

"Very well, " said the Jackal, "I will go out to the edge of the patchand lie down and wait for you. "

But the Jackal did not lie down. He was in a hurry to go home, now thathe had eaten all the crabs he wanted. So he said: "I do not want to waithere. I know a little song I can sing that will make that Camel hurry. "

So he began to sing. Of course, the Camel did not pay any attention, butthe farmer heard, as the Jackal knew he would, and came running out withsticks to chase the Jackal. But the Jackal hid in the high cane, and thefarmer could not find him. He did find the Camel, however, and called tohis boys, and they beat the Camel with sticks and drove him out of thecane. 

When the farmer and his boys had gone, the Jackal came out of the caneand found the Camel lying on the sand bruised with the beating he hadgotten. 

"Oh, friend, " he exclaimed, "where have you been? I have been huntingfor you in the cane. "

"Do not call me friend, " said the Camel. "Why did you sing that songthat made the farmer come out and beat me?"

"Oh, " said the Jackal, "did the farmer come out and beat you? That istoo bad. But I always sing a song after dinner. "

"Ah, do you?" said the Camel. "I did not know that. Very well. Let us gohome. Climb up while I am lying down. "

So the Jackal climbed upon the Camel's back, and he entered the waterand began to swim across the river, the Jackal riding high on the humpof the camel so as not to get wet, even to the tip of his tail. 

When they were about the middle of the stream the Camel said: "I believethat I shall roll over. "

"Do not do that, " exclaimed the Jackal, "for I shall get wet and bedrowned. "

"Maybe you will, " said the Camel; "but you see I always roll over afterdinner. "

So he rolled over in the water, and the Jackal got wet--first the tip ofhis tail, and then all over, and was drowned. 

HASHNU THE STONECUTTER

_A Japanese Story_

Hashnu the Stonecutter sat beside the highway cutting stone. It was hardwork, and the sun shone hot upon him. 

"Ah me!" said Hashnu, "if one only did not have to work all day. I wouldthat I could sit and rest, and not have to ply this heavy mallet. 

Just then there was a great commotion, and Hashnu saw a crowd of peoplecoming up the road. When they drew nearer he noticed that one of themwas the King. On his right side rode soldiers, all arrayed in armor andready to do his bidding, while on the left rode courtiers, seeking toserve him and win his favor. 

And Hashnu, watching, thought what a fine thing it would be to be aKing, and to have soldiers to do his bidding, and courtiers to servehim, and he said:

 "Ah me, ah me, If Hashnu only a King could be. "

At once he heard a voice say: "Be thou the King. "

Then in a moment Hashnu found that he was no longer the stonecutter, sitting beside the highway with a heavy mallet in his hand, but theKing, dressed in armor, riding in the midst of soldiers and courtiers, and all about him doing homage. 

He rode very proudly for a while, and his subjects bowed low before him. But the armor was heavy, and the helmet pressed hard upon his brow, andhis head throbbed with the weight of it. He was indeed weary and faintwith the heat, because, though a King, the sun beat hot upon him!

And he said to himself: "Lo, I am the King, and yet the sun can make mefaint and weary. I had thought that to be a King was to be stronger thananything else, but the sun is stronger than the King!"

And as they rode further, and the sun still beat hard upon him, he said:

 "Ah me, ah me, If Hashnu only the sun could be!"

Then he heard a voice say: "Be thou the sun. "

And in a moment he was no longer the King, riding among his courtiers, but the sun, blazing high in the heavens, shining hot upon the fieldsand the meadows. As he did not know how to shine, he allowed his rays tofall too fiercely upon the world, and grass and grain were dried up andwithered, and men lamented because of the cruelty of the heat. ButHashnu thought he was doing great things, and was very proud, until acloud came between him and the earth, so that his rays no longer fellupon the fields and the cities of men. 

And Hashnu said: "Lo, I am the sun, and my rays fell upon the fields andthe cities, and all acknowledge my power. But the cloud is stronger thanthe sun, for it shuts off my rays from the earth. "

Then, because the cloud would not go, but became heavier and blacker, Hashnu lamented, and said:

 "Ah me, ah me, If Hashnu only the cloud could be. "

And in a moment he was no longer the sun, shining fiercely upon theearth, but the cloud, riding in the sky, shutting off the rays of thesun, and pouring rain upon the fields and the meadows, filling therivers and the streams to overflowing. But he did not know how to letdown the rain wisely, and it fell too heavily, and the rivers rose highand destroyed the fields and the cities, and the meadows were turnedinto swamps, and the grain rotted in the ground, and the wind blew, andtrees were uprooted, and houses fell before it. But Hashnu cared fornone of these things, for he thought he was doing very finely indeed. 

But as he looked down upon the earth he saw that a rock beside thehighway stood unmoved and firm, for all of his raining and blowing. Andhe said: "For all I am strong, and can blow down trees and destroycities, and can pour my waters upon the earth and flood the fields andthe meadows, yet does that rock defy my power. I, Hashnu, would bestronger than the rock!"

But the rock was unchanged, and Hashnu, lamenting, said:

 "Ah me, ah me, If Hashnu only the rock could be!"

Then he heard a voice say: "Be thou the rock. "

And in a moment he was no longer the cloud, with the wind blowing hard, and pouring water upon the earth, but the rock, fixed and unmoved besidethe highway. Now, at last, he felt that he was stronger than all. Buteven as he rejoiced, he felt the sharp point of a stonecutter's chisel, and heard the sound of his heavy mallet striking upon its head. Then heknew that, though the water had fallen upon the rock and been unable tochange it, and the wind had blown hard against it and had no effect, yetwould the stonecutter change and alter it, and make it take whatevershape he desired. And he said:

 "Ah me, ah me, If Hashnu only the stonecutter could be!"

And he heard a voice say: "Be thou thyself. "

Then Hashnu found himself again sitting beside the highway with achisel in his hand, and a mallet on the ground beside him, and the rockbefore him. And the King had gone by, and the rays of the sun were nowshadowed by the cloud, from which no rain fell, but only a gratefulshade. And Hashnu said:

"The sun was stronger than the King, the cloud was stronger than thesun, the rock was stronger than the cloud, but I, Hashnu, am strongerthan all. "

And so he worked on, now well content to do each day his added task. 

THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN, AND THE JACKAL[N]

Once upon a time a Tiger was caught in a trap. He tried in vain to getout through the bars, and rolled and bit with rage and grief when hefailed. 

By chance a poor Brahman came by. "Let me out of this cage, oh, piousone!" cried the Tiger. 

"Nay, my friend, " replied the Brahman, mildly; "you would probably eatme if I did. "

"Not at all!" declared the Tiger; "on the contrary, I should be forevergrateful, and serve you as a slave!"

Now, when the Tiger sobbed, and sighed, and wept, and swore, the piousBrahman's heart softened; and at last he consented to open the door ofthe cage. Out popped the Tiger, and, seizing the poor man, cried: "Whata fool you are! What is to prevent my eating you now, for after beingcooped up so long I am just terribly hungry!"

In vain the Brahman pleaded for his life; the most he could gain was apromise to abide by the decision of the first three things he chose toquestion as to the justice of the Tiger's action. 

So the Brahman asked first a Pipal Tree what it thought of the matter;but the Pipal Tree replied coldly: "What have you to complain about?Don't I give shade and shelter to every one who passes by, and don'tthey in return tear down my branches to feed their cattle? Don'twhimper--be a man!"

Then the Brahman, sad at heart, went farther afield till he saw aBuffalo turning a well-wheel; but he fared no better from it, for itanswered: "You are a fool to expect gratitude! Look at me! Whilst I gavemilk they fed me on cotton-seed and oil-cake, but now I am dry they yokeme here, and give me refuse as fodder!"

The Brahman, still more sad, asked the Road to give him its opinion. 

"My dear sir, " said the Road, "how foolish you are to expect anythingelse! Here am I, useful to everybody, yet all, rich and poor, great andsmall, trample on me as they go past, giving me nothing but the ashes oftheir pipes and the husks of their grain!"

On this the Brahman turned back sorrowfully, and on the way he met aJackal, who called out: "Why, what's the matter, Mr. Brahman? You lookas miserable as a fish out of water!"

The Brahman told him all that had occurred. 

"How very confusing!" said the Jackal, when the recital was ended;"would you mind telling me again, for everything has got so mixed up?"

The Brahman told it all over again, but the Jackal shook his head in adistracted sort of way, and still could not understand. 

"It's very odd, " said he, sadly, "but it all seems to go in at one earand out of the other! I will go to the place where it all happened, andthen perhaps I shall be able to give a judgment. "

So they returned to the cage, by which the Tiger was waiting for theBrahman, and sharpening his teeth and claws. 

"You've been away a long time!" growled the savage beast, "but now letus begin our dinner. "

"Our dinner!" thought the wretched Brahman, as his knees knockedtogether with fright; "what a remarkably delicate way of putting it!"

"Give me five minutes, my lord!" he pleaded, "in order that I mayexplain matters to the Jackal here, who is somewhat slow in his wits. "

The Tiger consented, and the Brahman began the whole story over again, not missing a single detail, and spinning as long a yarn as possible. 

"Oh, my poor brain! oh, my poor brain!" cried the Jackal, wringing itspaws. "Let me see! How did it all begin? You were in the cage, and theTiger came walking by--"

"Pooh!" interrupted the Tiger, "what a fool you are! I was in the cage. "

"Of course!" cried the Jackal, pretending to tremble with fright; "yes!I was in the cage--no I wasn't--dear! dear! where are my wits? Let mesee--the Tiger was in the Brahman, and the cage came walking by--no, that's not it, either! Well, don't mind me, but begin your dinner, for Ishall never understand!"

"Yes, you shall!" returned the Tiger, in a rage at the Jackal'sstupidity; "I'll make you understand! Look here! I am the Tiger--"

"Yes, my lord!"

"And that is the Brahman!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"And that is the cage!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"And I was in the cage--do you understand?"

"Yes--no! Please, my lord--"

"Well?" cried the Tiger, impatiently. 

"Please, my lord!--how did you get in?"

"How!--why in the usual way, of course!"

"Oh, dear me!--my head is beginning to whirl again! Please don't beangry, my lord, but what is the usual way?"

At this the Tiger lost patience, and, jumping into the cage, cried:"This way! Now do you understand how it was?"

"Perfectly!" grinned the Jackal, as he dexterously shut the door, "andif you will permit me to say so, I think matters will remain as theywere!"

 [N] From "Indian Fairy Tales, " edited by Joseph Jacobs; used by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons. 

THE STORY OF THE WILLOW PATTERN PLATE

RETOLD BY M. ALSTON BUCKLEY

Once upon a time there lived in China a rich and haughty mandarin, whohad great riches in lands, and horses, and priceless jewels. This greatman had one lovely daughter with soft black eyes, and raven hair thatscarcely could be told in texture from the silken robes she wore. Themandarin loved his daughter and showered dazzling jewels on her, andbought rich robes, heavy with choicest needlework, that she might wearthem. 

Now the mandarin had a faithful secretary, a young man named Chang, whose every thought was given to the business of the man he served. Butas he went about the house with downcast eyes, Chang saw the daughter ofthe mandarin trip lightly to her father's side to whisper in the ear ofher indulgent parent, or flash across the hall, or through the gardenwhere she fed her goldfish in the lake, and when her mother called hername, Kong Lee, it seemed to him like sounds of liquid music. Themandarin talked always of his secretary, and said that he was honest andtrue and good, and told the truth and did his work as well as ever anyman could do it. 

Kong Lee learned to think of him and love him. 

But the mandarin had a friend, a rich old man, who wished to marry KongLee, and take her far away to be the mistress of his castle. Kong Leerefused to marry this old man, and to punish her, her father shut her upin the top room of a lonely house that stood on the lake shore. From herwindows she could see the lake, and she could see the willow tree thatdipped its drooping branches in the smooth, still water and seemed tohang its head and weep for her. And when the Spring came on and shecould hear the singing of the birds, she wished that she could go andwalk about the garden where she could see the sweet blossoms that hunglike a veil of pink over the peach trees. In her loneliness she wept, and wrote sad poetry, which she threw into the water. 

All this time Chang grieved for her, and sent her gifts to comfort her, and when his work was done, he walked along the shore and thought ofher. But one day Kong Lee caught sight of him standing on the shore, andshe thought, "Chang will help me. " So she took a cocoanut, and cut theshell in two and made a little boat of half of it. Then she made alittle sail of fine, carved ivory, on the sail she wrote a messageasking Chang to help her and threw the boat out of the window. Thelittle skiff sailed out over the lake, then fell and splashed into thewater, the wind caught the sail and the small craft sailed bravely on. Chang saw it, waded out, and caught it, read the message, and went tofind Kong Lee. 

Kong Lee was waiting for him, and they fled in haste, taking her box ofjewels with them. The mandarin saw them, and taking a whip he hastenedafter them to beat them back again, for he had great fear of hisfriend's anger. But they were too swift for him, and reached the otherside, where Chang's boat was waiting to take them to his house. 

There they were married, and lived in happiness until the mandarin'swicked friend found where they were, and secretly, at night, sailed downthe lake and burned the house when they were sleeping. But their lovingspirits became two doves that rested in the trees and flew about theplaces they had loved. 

And if you look at a blue china plate you will see there the house whereKong Lee was shut up, the willow tree she watched, Kong Lee and Changrunning across the bridge followed by her father with his whip, thefunny house-boat that carried them away to Chang's little house thatalmost is hidden by the trees, and at the top, the pair of doves inwhich the Chinese poet believed the spirits of Kong Lee and Chang stilllived. 

 [Illustration: "HA, HA, HA!" HE SAID TO HIMSELF. "HOW FOOLISH BROTHER FOX IS"]

 [Illustration: BRER RABBIT _and_ HIS NEIGHBORS]

BROTHER FOX'S TAR BABY[O]

TRANSLATED BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS

Once upon a time Brother Fox and Brother Rabbit lived near each other inthe woods. But they had to go a long way each morning to get water froma spring. 

One day Brother Fox said to Brother Rabbit: "What's the use of taking along walk every morning. Let us dig a well of our own. "

"I shall no longer go to the spring, " said Brother Rabbit. "From thistime on I shall drink the dew from the grass and the flowers. Why shouldI work to dig a well?"

Brother Rabbit knew by the way Brother Fox talked that he was going todig the well anyway. 

"Just as you please, " said Brother Fox. "Then I will dig the wellmyself. And I will drink the water all by myself. "

The next morning Brother Fox began to dig a well by a big tree. Heworked, and worked, and worked. Brother Rabbit was hiding in a bush nearby and watching Brother Fox. 

"Ha, ha, ha!" he said to himself. "How foolish Brother Fox is! I guess Ishall soon have all the water I want. Ha, ha, ha!"

That night, while Brother Fox was asleep, Brother Rabbit stole quietlydown to the well by the big tree, and drank and laughed, and drank andlaughed. 

"I guess I can have all the water I want, " said Brother Rabbit. "BrotherFox was foolish to do all the work. "

The next day, when Brother Fox went to get some water, he saw rabbittracks in the mud. 

"Ah, ha! Brother Rabbit, " said Brother Fox to himself, "so that's theway you drink the dew from the grass and the flowers! Well, well, Ithink I can catch you at your trick!"

Brother Fox ran home as fast as he could and made a great big doll ofwood, as big as a baby. He covered the wooden doll with black, stickytar. Then he put a little cap on its head. At sunset, he put the tarbaby out beside the well. 

"I think I shall get Brother Rabbit this time, " he said, as he went homelaughing to himself all the way. 

Soon Brother Rabbit came hopping through the bushes. He looked firstthis way, then that. The least noise frightened him. When he saw the tarbaby, he sat up straight and peeped at it through the leaves. 

"Hullo, there! Who are you?" he said at last. 

The tar baby said nothing. 

"Who are you, I say?" he asked in a louder tone. 

The tar baby said nothing. 

Then Brother Rabbit went right up close to the tar baby. 

"Why don't you answer me?" he shouted. 

The tar baby said nothing. 

"See here!" he shouted. "Have you no tongue? Speak, or I'll hit you!"

The tar baby said nothing. 

Brother Rabbit raised his right hand and--biff! his hand stuck fast. 

"Here! What's this?" he cried. "Let me go, or I'll hit you again. "

The tar baby said nothing. 

At that--blip! he hit the tar baby with the other hand. That stuck fast, too. 

"Listen to me, you rascal!" cried Brother Rabbit. "If you don't let mego, I'll kick you!"

The tar baby said nothing. 

Bim! Brother Rabbit's right foot stuck fast. 

"See here, you imp!" he shrieked. "If I kick you with my left foot, you'll think the world has come to an end!"

The tar baby said nothing. 

Bom! the left foot stuck fast. 

"Look out, now!" Brother Rabbit screamed. "Let me loose, or I'll buttyou into the well with my head! Let me go, I say!"

The tar baby said nothing. 

Buff! Brother Rabbit's head stuck fast. 

And there was Brother Rabbit with both hands, and both feet, and hishead stuck fast. 

The next morning Brother Fox came out to see how the tar baby wasgetting along. He saw Brother Rabbit, and he laughed to himself untilhis sides ached. 

"Hey, Brother Rabbit!" he called. "What are you doing? How do you likemy tar baby? I thought you drank dew from the grass and the flowers! Ihave you now, Brother Rabbit, I have you now. "

"Let me go, Brother Fox!" cried Brother Rabbit. "Let me go! I am yourfriend. Don't hurt me!"

"Friend? You are a thief, " said Brother Fox. "Who wants a thief for afriend?" Then he ran quickly to his home in the woods and built a bigfire. 

Soon Brother Fox tore Brother Rabbit loose from the tar baby, threw himover his shoulder, and started for the fire. 

"Roast rabbit is good, " said Brother Fox. 

"Roast me! Burn me! Anything!" said Brother Rabbit, "Only don't throw meinto the brier patch. "

"I've a mind to throw you into the well, " said Brother Fox, as he turnedand looked back. 

"Drown me! Kill me! Anything! Only don't throw me into the brier patch, "said Brother Rabbit. "The briers will tear my flesh and scratch my eyesout. Throw me into the fire! Throw me into the well!"

"Ah, ha, Brother Rabbit!" said Brother Fox. "So you don't like briers?Then here you go!" and he threw Brother Rabbit away over into the brierpatch. 

As soon as Brother Rabbit touched the ground, he sat up and laughed, andlaughed, and laughed. 

"Ha, ha, ha! Brother Fox!" said Brother Rabbit. "Thank you, dear BrotherFox, thank you! I was born and reared in a brier patch. "

Then Brother Rabbit ran off in great glee, chuckling over the trick hehad played on Brother Fox. 

 [O] From "Evening Tales, " by Frederic Ortoli; used by permission of the publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons. 

THE RABBIT AND THE PEAS

BY MRS. M. R. ALLEN

A long time ago there was a Bear that had a fine pea patch. He and hiswife had to work in the field every day, so they left their little girlat home to keep house. One fine morning Br'er (which means "Brother")Rabbit came up to the house and called the little girl: "Mary, Mary, your father and mother told me to come up here and tell you to put me inthe pea patch and let me have as many peas as I want. " So Mary put himin, and he stayed there until nearly 12 o'clock, and then he beguncalling: "Little girl, little girl, come and let me out; I'm full forthis time!"

So she let him out, and he went home. At dinner when her father andmother came home and saw their pea patch they were angry, and said: "Whohas been in these peas?" "Why, didn't you send Br'er Rabbit to get asmany as he wanted?" said Mary. "No, I didn't; no, I didn't;" said Mr. Bear. "And the next time that rascal comes here with that sort of tale, you just keep him in there until I come home. "

So the next morning Br'er Rabbit came back again, and called: "Mary, Mary, your father told me to tell you to put me in the pea patch, andlet me have all the peas I want. " "All right, " said Mary; "come on. " Soshe put him in and fastened him up. 

As it began to grow late, Mr. Rabbit began to call: "Little girl, littlegirl, come and let me out!" "All right, " said Mary, "when I put down mybread for supper. " After a while he called again: "Little girl, littlegirl, come let me out!" "When I milk my cow, " said Mary. When shefinished milking he called again, and she said: "Wait till I turn my cowout. "

By that time Mr. Bear came home and found him in his pea patch, andasked him what he was doing in there. "Your little girl told me you saidI might have some peas, " said Br'er Rabbit. "Well, " said Mr. Bear, "I'llput you in this box until I get rested and eat my supper, then I'll showyou a trick or two. " So he locked him in the box and went to the house. 

After a while Br'er Fox came along the road, and Br'er Rabbit calledhim, and Br'er Fox said: "What are you doing in there?" "They are goingto have a ball here to-night and want me to play the fiddle for them, sothey put me in here. I wouldn't disappoint them, " said Br'er Rabbit. "But, Br'er Fox, you always could beat me playing the fiddle. Now, theyoffer to pay two dollars for every tune. Suppose you take my place; mywife is sick and I must go home--if I can get off. "

"All right, " said Mr. Fox. "I'm always willing to make money, and if youdon't want to stay I will take your place. "

 [Illustration: "WHO ARE YOU, I SAY?" HE ASKED IN A LOUDER VOICE]

"Well, look on top of the box and get the key. I saw Mr. Bear put itthere, " said Br'er Rabbit. So Br'er Fox unlocked the door, and Br'erRabbit hopped out and locked Br'er Fox in. 

So after supper they all came out, and the little girl ran up to the boxand looked in, and said: "Oh, mamma! just come and see how this Rabbithas growed!"

Mr. Fox said: "I ain't no Rabbit!" "Well, " said Mr. Bear, "how came youin there?" "Because Br'er Rabbit asked me to take his place, and play atyour ball to-night, " said Mr. Fox. 

"Well, Br'er Rabbit has fooled you badly, Fox. But I will have to whipyou, anyway, for letting him out. I'll help you find Br'er Rabbit. ""I'll hunt him till I die, to pay him back for fooling me so, " said Mr. Fox. So they all started out to find Br'er Rabbit. 

And they soon came upon him, and he began to run, and all of them afterhim. And they got him in a tight place, and he ran up a hollow tree. 

And they had to go back for their axes. So they put a Frog at the treeto watch him to keep him from getting away. After they were gone, Mr. Frog looked up and saw Br'er Rabbit. 

 [Illustration: THEY HAD TO GO LOOK FOR AXES. SO THEY PUT A FROG AT THE TREE TO WATCH]

"What's dat you chewing?" said Mr. Frog. "Tobacco, " said Br'er Rabbit. "Give me some, " said Mr. Frog. "Well, " said Br'er Rabbit, "look up hereand open your eyes and mouth wide. " So he filled the Frog's eyes full oftrash. And while Mr. Frog was rubbing his eyes trying to get the trashout so he could see, Br'er Rabbit ran out and got away. 

When Mr. Bear and Mr. Fox got back with their axes, they asked Mr. Frog:"Whar's Mr. Rabbit?" He said: "He's in dar. " They cut down the tree anddidn't find him. Then they asked Mr. Frog again: "Whar's Mr. Rabbit?""He's in dar, " said Mr. Frog. So they split the tree open, and stilldidn't find him. And they asked Mr. Frog again, "Whar's Mr. Rabbit, Isay?" "He's in dar, " said Mr. Frog. 

"Now, Mr. Frog, " they said, "you have let Mr. Rabbit get away, and weare going to kill you in his place. "

So Mr. Frog said: "Wait till I go to my praying ground, and say myprayers. " So they told him he might have five minutes. 

And there was a pond near by, and a log on the edge of it. So when Froggot on the log he bowed his head and said: "Ta-hoo! ta-hoo! ta-h-o-o!"Splash! and he was gone! And the Bear and Fox were outwitted again. 

 [Illustration: BR'ER RABBIT'S FISHING]

BR'ER RABBIT'S FISHING[P]

One day, Br'er Rabbit, and Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, and Br'er Coon, and all the rest of them were clearing up a new piece of ground to plantsome corn. 

The sun got sort of hot, and Br'er Rabbit he got tired; but he didn'tsay so, 'cause he 'fraid the others'd call him lazy, so he kept onclearing away the rubbish and piling it up, till by-and-by he holler outthat he got a thorn in his hand. Then he took and slipped off, andhunted for a cool place to rest in. 

After a while Br'er Rabbit he see a well, with a bucket hanging in it. 

"That looks cool, " says Br'er Rabbit, says he, "and cool I 'spects itis. I'll just about get in there and take a nap, " says he. And with thatin he jumped. 

No sooner was Br'er Rabbit in, than the bucket began to go down, andthere was no wusser scared beast since the world began than this hereBr'er Rabbit was _then_. He fairly shook with fright. He know where hecome from, but he dunno where he going. Presently he feel the bucket hitthe water, and there it sat. Br'er Rabbit he keep mighty still, 'causehe dunno what be going to happen next. He just lay there, and shook andshivered. 

Now, Br'er Fox he always kep' one eye on Br'er Rabbit and, when Br'erRabbit slipped off the new ground, Br'er Fox he sneaked after him. Heknew Br'er Rabbit was after something or other, and he took and creptoff to watch him. Br'er Fox see Br'er Rabbit come to the well and stop, and then he see him jump into the bucket, and then, lo and behold, hesee him go down out of sight. 

Br'er Fox was the most astonished fox that ever you set eyes on. He satoff there in the bushes, and he think and think, but he make no heads ortails of this kind of business. Then he says to himself, says he:

"Well, if this don't beat my times, " says he, "then Joe's dead and Sal'sa widder, " says he. "Right down there in that well Br'er Rabbit keepshis money hid, and if it ain't that, then he's been and gone anddiscovered a gold mine; and if it ain't that, then I'm a-going to seewhat _is_ there, " says he. 

Br'er Fox crept up a little nigher, he did, and he listen, but he hearnothing, and he kept on getting nigher, and yet he hear nothing. By-and-by he get up close. He peep down; he see nothing, and he hearnothing. 

All this while Br'er Rabbit was nearly scared out of his skin, and he'fraid to move, 'cause the bucket might keel over and spill him out intothe water. 

Then old Br'er Fox holler out:

"Hallo, Br'er Rabbit! Who you visiting down there?" says he. 

"Who? Me? Oh, I'm just a-fishing, Br'er Fox, " says Br'er Rabbit, sayshe. "I just said to myself that I'd sort of surprise you all with a lotof fishes for dinner; and so here I is, and here's the fishes. I'mfishing, Br'er Fox, " says Br'er Rabbit, says he. 

"Is there many of 'em down there, Br'er Rabbit?" says Br'er Fox. 

"Lots of 'em, Br'er Fox. Scores and scores of 'em. The water is justalive with 'em. Come down, and help me haul 'em up, Br'er Fox, " says oldBr'er Rabbit, says he. 

"How 'm I going to get down, Br'er Rabbit?"

"Jump into the other bucket, Br'er Fox. It'll fetch you down all safeand sound. "

Br'er Rabbit he talk so happy and talk so sweet, that Br'er Fox he jumpinto the bucket, he did, and as he went down, of course his weightpulled Br'er Rabbit up. When they passed one another half-way down, Br'er Rabbit he sing out:

 "Good-by, Br'er Fox, take care of your clothes, For this is the way the world goes; Some goes up, and some goes down, You'll get to the bottom all safe and soun'. "

When Br'er Rabbit get out, he gallop off and tell the folks what thewell belong to that Br'er Fox was down in there muddying up the drinkingwater, and then he gallop back to the well and holler down to Br'er Fox:

 "Here comes a man with a great big gun; When he hauls you up, you cut and run. "

But in about half an hour both of them were back in the new ground, working as if they never heard of no well, 'cept that every now and thenBr'er Rabbit burst out and laugh, and old Br'er Fox he'd get a spell ofthe dry grins. 

 [P] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit, " published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission. 

BR'ER POSSUM LOVES PEACE

One night Br'er Possum called for Br'er Coon, and they rambled forth tosee how the others were getting along. Br'er Possum he ate his fill offruit, and Br'er Coon he scooped up a lot of frogs and tadpoles. Theyambled along, just as sociable as a basket of kittens, till by-and-bythey heard Mr. Dog talking to himself off in the woods. 

"S'pose he runs upon us, Br'er Possum, what you going to do?" says Br'erCoon. 

Br'er Possum sort of laugh round the corners of his mouth. 

"Oh, if he comes, Br'er Coon, I'm going to stand by you, " says Br'erPossum. "What are _you_ going to do?" says he. 

"Who? Me?" says Br'er Coon. "If he runs up on to me, I lay I'll give hima twist, " says he. 

Mr. Dog he came and he came. He didn't wait to say How-d'ye-do. He justsailed into the two of them. The very first pass he made, Br'er Possumfetched a grin from ear to ear, and keeled over as if he was dead. ThenMr. Dog he sailed into Br'er Coon, but Br'er Coon was cut out for thatkind of business, and he fairly wiped up the face of the earth with Mr. Dog. When Mr. Dog got a chance to make himself scarce, he took it, andwhat was left of him went skaddling through the woods as if it was shotout of a gun. Br'er Coon he sort of licked his clothes into shape, andracked off, and Br'er Possum he lay as if he was dead, till by-and-by helooked up, sort of careful-like, and when he found the coast clear hescrambled up and scampered off as if something was after him. 

Next time Br'er Possum met Br'er Coon, Br'er Coon refused to reply tohis How-d'ye-do, and this made Br'er Possum feel mighty bad, 'cause theyused to make so many excursions together. 

"What makes you hold your head so high?" says Br'er Possum, says he. 

"I ain't running with cowards these days, " says Br'er Coon. "When Iwants you, I'll send for you, " says he. 

Then Br'er Possum got very angry. "Who's a coward?" says he. 

"You is, " says Br'er Coon, "that's who. I ain't associating with themwhat lies down on the ground and plays dead when there's a free fightgoing on, " says he. 

Then Br'er Possum grin and laugh fit to kill hisself. 

"Lor'! Br'er Coon, you don't think I done that 'cause I was afraid, doesyou?" says he. "Why, I were no more afraid than you is this minute. Whatwas there to be skeered at?" says he. "I knew you'd get away with Mr. Dog if I didn't, and I just lay there watching you shake him, waiting toput in when the time came, " says he. 

 [Illustration: BR'ER POSSUM LAY AS IF HE WAS DEAD]

Br'er Coon turn up his nose. 

"That's a mighty likely tale, " says he. "When Mr. Dog no more thantouched you before you keeled over and lay there stiff, " says he. 

"That's just what I was going to tell you about, " says Br'er Possum. "Iweren't no more skeered 'n you is now, and I was going to give Mr. Dog asample of my jaw, " says he, "but I'm the most ticklish chap that everyou set eyes on, and no sooner did Mr. Dog put his nose down among myribs than I got to laughing, and I laugh till I hadn't no more use of mylimbs, " says he; "and it's a mercy for Mr. Dog that I _was_ ticklish, 'cause a little more and I'd have ate him up, " says he. "I don't mindfighting, Br'er Coon, any more than you does, but I'm blessed if I canstand tickling. Get me in a row where there ain't no tickling allowed, and I'm your man, " says he. 

And to this day Br'er Possum's bound to surrender when you touch him inthe short ribs, and he'll laugh even if he knows he's going to besmashed for it. 

BR'ER FOX TACKLES OLD BR'ER TARRYPIN[Q]

One day Br'er Fox struck up with Br'er Tarrypin right in the middle ofthe big road. Br'er Tarrypin he heard Br'er Fox coming, and he say tohisself that he'd sort of better keep one eye open; but Br'er Fox wasmonstrous polite, and he begin, he did, and say he hadn't seen Br'erTarrypin this ever so long. 

"Hallo, Br'er Tarrypin, where you been this long-come-short?" says Br'erFox, says he. 

"Lounging round, " says Br'er Tarrypin. 

"You don't look sprucy, like you did, Br'er Tarrypin, " says Br'er Fox. 

"Lounging round and suffering, " says Br'er Tarrypin, says he. 

Then the talk sort of run on like this:

"What ails you, Br'er Tarrypin? Your eye look mighty red, " says Br'erFox. 

"Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is. _You_ ain't been lounginground and suffering, " says Br'er Tarrypin, says he. 

"_Both_ eyes red, and you look like you is mighty weak, Br'er Tarrypin, "says Br'er Fox, says he. 

"Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is, " says Br'er Tarrypin, sayshe. 

"What ails you now?" says Br'er Fox. 

"Took a walk the other day, and Mr. Man come along and set the field onfire. Lor, Br'er Fox, you dunno what trouble is, " says Br'er Tarrypin, says he. 

"How you get out of the fire, Br'er Tarrypin?" says Br'er Fox. 

"Sat and took it, Br'er Fox, " says Br'er Tarrypin, says he, "sat andtook it; and the smoke got in my eye, and the fire scorched my back, "says Br'er Tarrypin, says he. 

"Likewise it burn your tail off, " says Br'er Fox, says he. 

"Oh, no, there's my tail, Br'er Fox, " says Br'er Tarrypin, and with thathe uncurl his tail from under his shell, and no sooner did he do thatthan Br'er Fox grab at it and holler out:

"Oh, yes, Br'er Terrapin! Oh, yes! And so you's the one what lam me onthe head the other day, is you? You's in with Br'er Rabbit, is you?Well, I'm going to out you. "

Br'er Tarrypin he beg and he beg, but it weren't no use. Then he begBr'er Fox not to drown him. Br'er Fox ain't making no promise. Then hebeg Br'er Fox to burn him, 'cause now he used to fire. Br'er Fox he saynothing. By-and-by Br'er Fox drag Br'er Tarrypin off little ways belowthe spring, and he souse him under the water. 

Then Br'er Tarrypin he began to holler out:

"Turn loose that stump-root and catch hold of me!"

Br'er Fox he holler back:

"I ain't got hold of no stump-root, and I is got hold of you. "

"Catch hold of me, I'm a-drowning--I'm a-drowning; turn loose thatstump-root and catch hold of me!"

Sure enough, Br'er Fox turned loose Br'er Tarrypin's tail, and Br'erTarrypin he went down to the bottom!

Was Br'er Tarrypin drowned, then? Not a bit of it. Is _you_ drowned whenyour mammy tucks you up in bed?

 [Illustration: BY-AND-BY BR'ER FOX DRAG BR'ER TARRYPIN OFF]

 [Q] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit, " published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission. 

 [Illustration: HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX]

HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX[R]

Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox had both been paying calls one evening at thesame house. They sat there, and after a while Br'er Rabbit looked out, and said:

"Now then, folks and friends, I must say good-by. Cloud coming upyonder, and before we know it, the rain'll be a-pouring. "

Then Br'er Fox he up and says he 'spects _he_ better be getting on, 'cause he doesn't want to get his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes wet. Sothey set out. 

While they were going down the big road, talking at one another, Br'erFox he took and stopped, and said:

"Look here, Br'er Rabbit, look here! If my eyes don't deceive, here'sthe tracks where Mr. Dog's been along, and they're quite fresh!"

Br'er Rabbit he sidle up and look. Then he say:

"That there track ain't never fit Mr. Dog's foot. What's more, " says he, "I been acquainted with him what made that track too long ago to talkabout. "

"Br'er Rabbit, please, sir, tell me his name. "

Br'er Rabbit he laughs, as if he was making light of something or other. 

"If I makes no mistakes, Br'er Fox, the poor creature what made thattrack is Cousin Wildcat; no more and no less. "

"How big is he, Br'er Rabbit?"

"Just about your heft, Br'er Fox. " Then Br'er Rabbit make like talkingto himself. "Tut, tut, tut! To be sure, to be sure! Many and many's thetimes I see my old grand-daddy kick and cuff Cousin Wildcat. If you wantsome fun, Br'er Fox, now's the time. "

Br'er Fox he up and axed how he's going to have any fun. 

Br'er Rabbit he say: "Easy enough. Just go and tackle old CousinWildcat, and lam him round. "

Br'er Fox he sorter scratch his ear, and say: "Eh, eh, Br'er Rabbit, I'm'fraid. His track too much like Mr. Dog. "

Br'er Rabbit he sat flat down in the road, and holler, and laugh. "Shoo, Br'er Fox!" says he, "who'd ha' thought you so skeery? Just come andlook at these here tracks. Is there any sign of claw anywheres?"

Br'er Fox was obliged to agree that there weren't no sign of claw. Br'erRabbit say: "Well, then, if he ain't got no claw, how's he going to hurtyou, Br'er Fox?"

Br'er Fox took another good look at the track, and then he and Br'erRabbit put out to follow it up. 

They kept on and on, till by-and-by they ran up with the creature. Br'erRabbit he holler out mighty biggity: "Hallo, there! what you doing?"

The creature look round, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit say:"Oh, you needn't look so sulky! We'll make you talk before we've donewith you! Come, now, what you doing there?"

The creature rub hisself against a tree just as you see these here housecats rub against a chair, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbitholler: "What you come bothering us for when we ain't been botheringyou? You thinks I don't know who you is, but I does. I'll let you know Igot a better man here than what my grand-daddy been, and I'll be boundhe'll make you talk. "

The creature leaned harder against the tree, and sort of ruffled up hisbristles, but he ain't saying nothing. Br'er Rabbit he say: "Go up, Br'er Fox, and if he refuse to speak, slap him down. That's the way mygrand-daddy did. If he dares to run, I'll just whirl in and catch him. "

Br'er Fox he look sort of dubious, but he start toward the creature. OldCousin Wildcat walk all round the tree rubbing hisself, but he ain'tsaying nothing. Br'er Fox he went up a little nigher. Cousin Wildcatstop rubbing on the tree, and sat upon his behind legs with his frontpaws in the air, and balances hisself by leaning against the tree, buthe ain't saying nothing. 

Br'er Rabbit he squall out: "Oh, you needn't put up your hands, and tryand beg off. That's the way you fooled my old grand-daddy; but you can'tfool me. All your sitting up and begging ain't going to help you. Hithim, Br'er Fox! If he runs, I'll catch him!"

Br'er Fox he sort of took heart. He sidled up toward him, and just as hewas making ready to slap him, old Cousin Wildcat drew back, and fetchedBr'er Fox a wipe across the stomach. 

That there Cousin Wildcat fetched him a wipe across the stomach, and youmight have heard him squall for miles and miles. Little more and thecreature would have torn Br'er Fox in two. Once the creature made a passat him, Br'er Rabbit knew what was going to happen, yet all the same hetook and hollered:

"Hit him again, Br'er Fox! hit him again! I'm a-backing you, Br'er Fox!Hit him again!"

While Br'er Rabbit was going on in this way, Br'er Fox was squatting onthe ground, holding his stomach with both hands and moaning:

"I'm ruined, Br'er Rabbit! I'm ruined! Fetch the doctor! I'm teetotallyruined!"

About this time Cousin Wildcat took and went for a walk. Br'er Rabbitmake like he astonished that Br'er Fox is hurted. He took and examinethe place, and he up and say: "It look to me, Br'er Fox, that thatowdacious villain took and struck you with a reaping hook. "

With that Br'er Rabbit lit out for home, and when he got out of sight hetook and shook his hands, just like a cat when she gets the water on herfoots. Then he laugh and laugh till he can laugh no more. 

 [R] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit, " published by Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their permission. 

 [Illustration: "'HELLO!'"]

PLANTATION STORIES

BY GRACE MACGOWAN COOKE

I. --MRS. PRAIRIE-DOG'S BOARDERS

Texas is a near-by land to the dwellers in the Southern States. Many ofthe poorer white people go there to mend their fortunes; and not a fewof them come back from its plains, homesick for the mountains, and withthese fortunes unmended. Daddy Laban, the half-breed, son of an Indianfather and a negro mother, who sometimes visited Broadlands plantation, had been a wanderer; and his travels had carried him as far afield asthe plains of southwestern Texas. The Randolph children liked, almostbetter than any others, the stories he brought home from these extensivetravels. 

"De prairie-dog a mighty cur'ous somebody, " he began one day, whenthey asked him for a tale. "Hit lives in de ground, more samer dan aground-hog. But dey ain't come out for wood nor water; an' some folksthinks dey goes plumb down to de springs what feeds wells. I has knoweddem what say dey go fur enough down to find a place to warm deyhands--but dat ain't de tale I'm tellin'. 

"A long time ago, dey was a prairie-dog what was left a widder, an' shehad a big fambly to keep up. 'Oh, landy!' she say to dem dat come tovisit her in her 'fliction, 'what I gwine do to feed my chillen?'

"De most o' de varmints tell Miz. Prairie-Dog dat de onliest way for herto git along was to keep boarders. 'You got a good home, an' you is agood manager, ' dey say; 'you bound to do well wid a boardin'-house. '

"Well, Miz. Prairie-Dog done sent out de runners to run, de fliers tofly, de crawlers to crawl, an' tell each an' every dat she sot up aboardin'-house. She say she got room for one crawler and one flier, an'dat she could take in a whole passel o' runners. 

"Well, now you knows a flier 's a bird--or hit mought be a bat. Efyou was lookin' for little folks, hit mought be a butterfly. Miz. Prairie-Dog ain't find no fliers what wants to live un'neath de ground. But crawlers--bugs an' worms an' sich-like--dey mostly does liveun'neath de ground, anyhow, an' de fust pusson what come seekin'house-room with Miz. Prairie-Dog was Brother Rattlesnake. 

"'I dest been flooded out o' my own house, ' Mr. Rattlesnake say; 'an' Ilike to look at your rooms an' see ef dey suits me. '

"'I show you de rooms, ' Miz. Prairie-Dog tell 'im. 'I bound you gwinelike 'em. I got room for one crawler, an' you could be him; but--'

"Miz. Prairie-Dog look at her chillen. She ain't say no more--dest lookat dem prairie-dog gals an' boys, an' say no more. 

"Mr. Rattlesnake ain't like bein' called a crawler so very well; but helooks at dem rooms, an' 'low he'll take 'em. Miz. Prairie-Dog gotsomethin' on her mind, an' 'fore de snake git away dat somethin' comeout. 'I's shore an' certain dat you an' me can git along, ' she say, 'ef--ef--ef you vow an' promish not to bite my chillen. I'll have yo'meals reg'lar, so dat you won't be tempted. '

"Old Mr. Rattlesnake' powerful high-tempered--yas, law, he sho' a mightyquick somebody on de trigger. Zip! he go off, dest like dat--zip!Br-r-r! 'Tempted!' he hiss at de prairie-dog woman. He look at demprairie-dog boys an' gals what been makin' mud cakes all mornin' (an'dest about as dirty as you-all is after you do de same). 'Tempted, ' hesay. 'I should hope not. '

"For, mind you, Brother Rattlesnake is a genterman, an' belongs to dequality. He feels hisself a heap too biggity to bite prairie-dogs. So_dat_ turned out all right. 

"De next what come to Miz. Prairie-Dog was a flier. "

"A bird?" asked Patricia Randolph. 

"Yes, little mistis, " returned the old Indian. "One dese-hyer little, round, brown squinch-owls, what allers quakes an' quivers in dey speechan' walk. 'I gits so dizzy--izzy--wizzy! up in de top o' de trees, ' delittle brown owl say, as she swivel an' shake. 'An' I wanted to git me ahome down on de ground, so dat I could be sure, an' double sure, dat Iwouldn't fall. But dey is dem dat says ef I was down on de ground Imight fall down a hole. Dat make me want to live in yo' house. Hit'sdown in de ground, ain't hit? Ef I git down in yo' house dey hain't noplace for me to fall off of, an' fall down to, is dey?' she ax. 

 [Illustration: "I WANTED TO GIT ME A HOME DOWN ON DE GROUND, SO DAT I COULD BE SURE, AN' DOUBLE SURE, DAT I WOULDN'T FALL, " SAYS MIZ. BROWN OWL]

"Miz. Prairie-Dog been in de way o' fallin' down-stairs all her life;dat de onliest way she ever go inter her house--she fling up her handsan' laugh as you pass her by, and she drap back in de hole. But she tellde little brown owl dat dey ain't no place you could fall ef you go tode bottom eend o' her house. So, what wid a flier an' a crawler, an' deoldest prairie-dog boy workin' out, she manage to make tongue and bucklemeet. I's went by a many a prairie-dog hole an' seen de owl an' derattlesnake what boards wid Miz. Prairie-Dog. Ef you was to go to Texasyou'd see de same. But nobody in dat neck o' woods ever knowed how desefolks come to live in one house. "

"Who told _you_, Daddy Laban?" asked Pate Randolph. 

"My Injun gran'mammy, " returned the old man. "She told me a many a tale, when I lived wid my daddy's people on de Cherokee Res'vation. Sometime Igwine tell you 'bout de little fawn what her daddy ketched for her whenshe 's a little gal. But run home now, honey chillens, or yo' mammy donethink Daddy Laban stole you an' carried you plumb away. "

II. --SONNY BUNNY RABBIT'S GRANNY

Of all the animal stories which America, the nurse-girl, told to thechildren of Broadlands plantation, they liked best those about SonnyBunny Rabbit. 

"You listen now, Marse Pate an' Miss Patty an' my baby child, an' Igwine tell you de best tale yit, 'bout de rabbit, " she said, one lazysummer afternoon when they were tired of playing marbles withchina-berries. 

"You see, de fox he mighty hongry all de time for rabbit meat; yit, atde same time, he 'fraid to buck up 'gainst a old rabbit, an' he alwayspesterin' after de young ones. 

"Sonny Bunny Rabbit' granny was sick, an' Sonny Bunny Rabbit' mammy wantto send her a mess o' sallet. She put it in a poke, an' hang de pokeround de little rabbit boy's neck. 

 [Illustration: "'WHAR YOU PUTTIN' OUT FOR? AN' WHO ALL IS YOU GWINE SEE ON T' OTHER SIDE DE HILL?'" AX MR. FOX]

"'Now, my son, ' she says, 'you tote dis sallet to yo' granny, an' don'tstop to play wid none o' dey critters in de Big Woods. '

"'Yassum, mammy, ' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit. 

"'Don't you pass de time o' day wid no foxes, ' say Mammy Rabbit. 

"'Yassum, mammy, ' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit. 

"Dest as he was passin' some thick chinkapin bushes, up hop a big redfox an' told him howdy. 

"'Howdy, ' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit. He ain't study 'bout what his mammytell him now. He 'bleege to stop an' make a miration at bein' noticed bysech a fine pusson as Mr. Fox. 'Hit's a fine day--an' mighty growin'weather, Mr. Fox. '

"'Hit am dat, ' say de fox. 'Yaas, suh, hit sho'ly am dat. An' whar youputtin' out for, ef I mought ax?' he say, mighty slick an' easy. 

"Now right dar, " said America, impressively, "am whar dat little rabbitboy fergit his teachin'. He act like he ain't know nothin'--an ain'tknow dat right good. 'Stead o' sayin', 'I's gwine whar I's gwine--an'dat's whar I's gwine, ' he answer right back: 'Dest 'cross de hill, suh. Won't you walk wid me, suh? Proud to have yo' company, suh. '

 [Illustration: "'COME BACK HYER, YOU RABBIT TRASH, AN' HE'P ME OUT O' DIS TROUBLE!'" HE HOLLER]

"'An' who-all is you gwine see on t' other side de hill?' ax Mr. Fox. 

"'My granny, ' answer Sonny Bunny Rabbit. 'I totin' dis sallet to her. '

"'Is yo' granny big?' ax de fox. 'Is yo' granny old?' he say. 'Is yo'granny mighty pore? Is yo' granny tough?' An' he ain't been nigh soslick an' sof' an' easy any mo' by dis time--he gittin' mighty hongryan' greedy. 

"Right den an dere Sonny Bunny Rabbit wake up. Yaas, law! He come to hesenses. He know mighty well an' good dat a pusson de size o' Mr. Foxain't got no reason to ax ef he granny tough, less'n he want to git heteef in her. By dat he recomember what his mammy done told him. He lookall 'bout. He ain't see no he'p nowhars. Den hit come in Sonny BunnyRabbit' mind dat de boys on de farm done sot a trap down by de pastur'fence. Ef he kin git Mr. Fox to jump inter dat trap, his life done save. 

"'Oh, my granny mighty big, ' he say; 'but dat 's 'ca'se she so fat shecain't run. She hain't so mighty old, but she sleep all de time; an' Iain't know is she tough or not--you dest better come on an' find out, 'he holler. Den he start off on er long, keen jump. 

"Sonny Bunny Rabbit run as hard as he could. De fox run after, mostnippin' his heels. Sonny Bunny Rabbit run by de place whar de fox-trapdone sot, an' all kivered wid leaves an' trash, an' dar he le'p high inthe air--an' over it. Mr. Fox ain't know dey ary trap in de grass; an', blam! he stuck he foot squar' in it!

"'Oh-ow-ow! Hi-hi-hi! Hi-yi! Yi-yi-yi!' bark de fox. 'Come back hyer, you rabbit trash, an' he'p me out o' dis trouble!' he holler. 

"'Dat ain't no trouble, ' say Sonny Bunny Rabbit, jumping high in degrass. 'Dat my granny, what I done told you 'bout. Ain't I say she sofat she cain't run? She dest love company so powerful well, dat I 'spectshe holdin' on to you to hear you talk. '

"An' de fox talk, " America giggled, as she looked about on her smallaudience. 

 [Illustration: MR. SNOWBIRD SPENDS CHRISTMAS DAY WITH BR'ER RABBIT]

 [Illustration: AMERICAN INDIAN STORIES]

ROBIN REDBREAST

There was once a hunter who had only one son, and when his son grew uphe said to him: "My son, I am growing old, and you must hunt for me. "

"Very well, father, " said his son, and he took his father's bow andarrows and went out into the woods. But he was a dreamy boy, and forgotwhat he had come for, and spent the morning wondering at the beautifulflowers, and trees, and mosses, and hills, and valleys that he saw. Whenhe saw a bird on a tree, he forgot that he had come to shoot it, and laylistening to its song; and when he saw a deer come down to drink at thestream he put down his bow and arrows and began to talk to the deer inthe deer's own language. At last he saw that the sun was setting. Thenhe looked round for his bow and arrows, and they were gone!

When he got home to the wigwam, his father met him at the door and said:"My son, you have had a long day's hunting. Have you killed so much thatyou had to leave it in the woods? Let us go and fetch it together. "

The young man looked very much ashamed of himself, and said: "Father, Iforgot all about the hunting. The woods, and the sky, and the flowers, and the birds, and the beasts were so interesting that I forgot allabout what you had sent me to do. "

His father was in a terrible rage with him, and in the morning he senthim out again, with new bow and arrows, saying: "Take care that youdon't forget this time. "

The son went along saying to himself: "I mustn't forget, I mustn'tforget, I mustn't forget. " But as soon as a bird flew across the path heforgot all about what his father had said, and called to the bird in thebird's own language, and the bird came and sat on the tree above him, and sang to him so beautifully all day that the young man sat as if hewas dreaming till sunset. 

"Oh dear!" said the young man, "what shall I do? My father will kill meif I go back without anything to eat. "

"Never mind, " said the bird; "if he kills you, we shall give youfeathers and paint, and you can fly away and be a bird like ourselves. "

When the young man reached the village he scarcely dared to go near hisfather's wigwam; but his father saw him coming, and ran to meet him, calling out in a hurry; "What have you brought? What have you brought?"

"I have brought nothing, father; nothing at all, " said the boy. 

His father was angrier than ever, and in the morning he said: "Come withme. No more bow and arrows for you, and not a bite to eat, till I havetaught you to be a hunter like any other good Indian. " So he took hisson into the middle of the forest, and there built for him a littlewigwam, with no door, only a little hole in the side. 

"There!" said his father, when the young man was inside, and the wigwamwas laced up tight. "When you have lived and fasted in this wigwam fortwelve days, the spirit of a hunter will come into you. "

Every day the young man's father came to see him, and every day theyoung man begged for food, till at last, on the tenth day, he could onlybeg in a whisper. 

"No!" said his father. "In two days more you can both hunt and eat. "

On the eleventh day, when the father came and spoke to his son, he gotno answer. Looking through the hole, he saw the lad lying as if he wasdead on the ground; but when he called out aloud his son awoke, andwhispered: "Father, bring me food! Give me some food!"

"No, " said his father. "You have only one day more to wait. To-morrowyou will hunt and eat. " And he went away home to the village. 

On the twelfth day the father came loaded with meal and meat. As hecame near to the wigwam he heard a curious chirping sound, and when helooked through the hole in the wigwam he saw his son standing up inside, and painting his breast with bright red paint. 

"What are you doing, my son? Come and eat! Here is meal and meat foryou. Come and eat and hunt like a good Indian. "

But the son could only reply in a chirping little voice: "It is toolate, father. You have killed me at last, and now I am becoming a bird. "And as he spoke he turned into the o-pe-che--the robin redbreast--andflew out of the hole and away to join the other birds; but he never flewvery far from where men live. 

The cruel father set out to go back to his wigwam; but he could neverfind the village again, and after he had wandered about a long time helay down in the forest and died; and soon afterward the redbreast foundhim, and buried him under a heap of dry leaves. Every year after that, when the time of the hunter's fast came round, the redbreast perched onhis father's empty wigwam and sang the song of the dead. 

THE THREE WISHES

Once upon a time there were three brothers who set out on a visit toGoose-cap, the wise one, who said that any one might come and see him, and get a wish--just one wish, no more. The three brothers were sevenyears on the journey, climbing mountains that seemed to have no top, andscrambling through forests full of thorn-bushes, and wading throughswamps where the mosquitoes tried to eat them up, and sailing downrivers where the rapids broke up their rafts and nearly drowned them. 

At the end of seven years they heard Goose-cap's dogs barking, so thenthey knew they were on the right road; and they went on for three monthsmore, and the barking got a little louder every day, till at last theycame to the edge of the great lake. Then Goose-cap saw them, and sailedover in his big stone canoe and took them to his island. 

You never saw such a beautiful island as that was, it was so green andwarm and bright; and Goose-cap feasted his visitors for three days andnights, with meats and fruits that they had never tasted before. Then hesaid: "Tell me what you want, and why you have taken so much trouble tofind me. "

The youngest brother said: "I want to be always amusing, so that no onecan listen to me without laughing. "

Then the great wise one stuck his finger in the ground, and pulled up aroot of the laughing-plant and said: "When you have eaten this you willbe the funniest man in the tribe, and people will laugh as soon as youopen your lips. But see that you don't eat it till you get home. "

The youngest brother thanked him, and hurried away; and going home wasso easy that it only took seven days instead of seven years. Yet theyoung man was so impatient to try his wish that on the sixth morning heate the root. All of a sudden he felt so light-headed that he began todance and shout with fun: and the ducks that he was going to shoot forbreakfast flew away laughing into the reeds over the river, and the deerran away laughing into the woods, and he got nothing to eat all day. 

Next morning he came to the village where he lived, and he wanted totell his friends how hungry he was; but at the first word he spoke theyall burst out laughing, and as he went on they laughed louder andlouder--it seemed so funny, though they couldn't hear a word he said, they made so much noise themselves. Then they got to laughing so hardthat they rolled over and over on the ground, and squeezed their sides, and cried with laughing, till they had to run away into their houses andshut their doors, or they would have been killed with laughing. Hecalled to them to come out and give him something to eat, but as soon asthey heard him they began to laugh again; and at last they shouted thatif he didn't go away they would kill him. So he went away into the woodsand lived by himself; and whenever he wanted to hunt he had to tie astrap over his mouth, or the mock-bird would hear him and begin tolaugh, and all the other birds and beasts would hear the mock-bird andlaugh and run away. 

The second brother said to Goose-cap; "I want to be the greatest ofhunters without the trouble of hunting. Why should I go after theanimals if I could make them come to me?"

Goose-cap knew why; still, he gave the man a little flute, saying: "Besure you don't use it till after you have got home. "

Then the hunter set off; but on the sixth day he was getting so nearhome that he said to himself: "I'm sure Goose-cap couldn't hear me nowif I blew the flute _very_ gently, just to try it. " So he pulled outthe flute and breathed into it as gently as ever he could--but as soonas his lips touched it the flute whistled so long and loud that all thebeasts in the country heard it and came rushing from north and south andeast and west to see what the matter was. The deer got there first, andwhen they saw it was a man with bow and arrows they tried to run awayagain; but they couldn't, for the bears were close behind, all round, and pushed and pushed till the deer were all jammed up together and theman was squeezed to death in the middle of them. 

The eldest brother, when the other two had set off for home, said toGoose-cap: "Give me great wisdom, so that I can marry the Mohawk chief'sdaughter without killing her father or getting killed myself. " You see, the eldest brother was an Algonquin, and the Mohawks always hated theAlgonquins. 

Goose-cap stooped down on the shore and picked up a hard clam-shell; andhe ground it and ground it, all that day and all the next night, till hehad made a beautiful wampum bead of it. "Hang this round your neck by athread of flax, " he said, "and go and do whatever the chief asks you. "

The eldest brother thanked him, and left the beautiful island, andtraveled seven days and seven nights till he came to the Mohawk town. Hewent straight to the chief's house, and said to him, "I want to marryyour daughter. "

"Very well, " said the chief, "you can marry my daughter if you bring methe head of the great dragon that lives in the pit outside the gate. "

The eldest brother promised he would, and went out and cut down a treeand laid it across the mouth of the pit. Then he danced round the pit, and sang as he danced a beautiful Algonquin song, something like this:"Come and eat me, dragon, for I am fat and my flesh is sweet and thereis plenty of marrow in my bones. " The dragon was asleep, but the songgave him beautiful dreams, and he uncoiled himself and smacked his lipsand stretched his head up into the air and laid his neck on the log. Then the eldest brother cut off the head; snick-snack, and carried it tothe chief. 

"That's right, " said the chief; but he was angry in his heart, and nextmorning, when he should have given away his daughter, he said to theAlgonquin: "I will let you marry her if I see that you can dive as wellas the wild duck in the lake. "

When they got to the lake the wild duck dived and stayed under water forthree minutes, but then it had to come up to breathe. Then the eldestbrother dived, and turned into a frog, and stayed under water so longthat they were sure he was drowned; but just as they were going home, singing for joy to be rid of him, he came running after them, and said:"Now I have had my bath and we can go and get married. "

"Wait till the evening, " said the chief, "and then you can get married. "

When the evening came, the Northern Lights were dancing and leaping inthe sky, and the chief said: "The Northern Lights would be angry if yougot married without running them a race. Run your best and win, andthere will be no more delay. "

The Northern Lights darted away at once to the west, and the eldestbrother ran after them; and the chief said to his daughter: "They willlead him right down to the other side of the world, and he will be anold man before he can get back, so he won't trouble us any more. " Butjust as the chief finished speaking, here came the Algonquin running upfrom the east. He had turned himself into lightning and gone right roundthe world; and the night was nearly gone before the Northern Lights cameup after him, panting and sputtering. 

"Yes, my son, " said the chief; "you have won the race; so now we can goon with the wedding. The place where we have our weddings is down by theriver at the bottom of the valley, and we will go there on ourtoboggans. "

Now the hillside was rough with rocks and trees, and the river flowedbetween steep precipices, so nobody could toboggan down there withoutbeing broken to pieces. But the eldest brother said he was ready, andasked the chief to come on the same toboggan. 

"No, " said the chief, "but as soon as you have started I will. "

Then the Algonquin gave his toboggan a push, and jumped on, and didn'teven take the trouble to sit down. The chief waited to see him dashed topieces; but the toboggan skimmed down the mountain side without touchinga rock or a tree, and flew across the ravine at the bottom, and up thehillside opposite; and the Algonquin was standing straight up the wholetime. When he got to the top of the mountain opposite he turned histoboggan round and coasted back as he had come. And when the chief sawhim coming near and standing up on his toboggan, he lost his temper andlet fly an arrow straight at the young man's heart; but the arrow stuckin Goose-cap's bead, and the Algonquin left it sticking there and tookno notice. Only when he got to the top he said to the chief, "Now it'syour turn, " and put him on the toboggan and sent him spinning down intothe valley. And whether the chief ever came up again we don't know; butat any rate his daughter married the Algonquin without any more fuss, and went home with him. 

THE JOKER

This story is about Lox. He called himself the joker, and he was veryproud of his jokes; but nobody else could see anything in them to laughat. 

One day he came to a wigwam where two old Indians were taking a napbeside the fire. He picked out a burning stick, held it against theirbare feet, and then ran out and hid behind the tent. The old men sprangup, and one of them shouted to the other:

"How dare you burn my feet?"

"How dare _you_ burn _my_ feet?" roared the other, and sprang at histhroat. 

When he heard them fighting Lox laughed out loud, and the old men ranout to catch the man who had tricked them. When they got round the tentthey found nothing but a dead coon. They took off its skin, and put itsbody into the pot of soup that was boiling for dinner. As soon as theyhad sat down, out jumped Lox, kicking over the pot and putting out thefire with the soup. He jumped right into the coon's skin and scurriedaway into the wood. 

In the middle of the forest Lox came upon a camp where a party of womenwere sitting round a fire making pouches. 

"Dear me, " said Lox, looking very kind. (He had put on his own skin bythis time. ) "That's very slow work! Now, when I want to make a pouch Ido it in two minutes, without sewing a stitch. "

"I should like to see you do it!" said one of the women. 

"Very well, " said he. So he took a piece of skin, and a needle andtwine, and a handful of beads, and stuffed them in among the burningsticks. In two minutes he stooped down again and pulled a handsome pouchout of the fire. 

"Wonderful!" said the women; and they all stuffed their pieces ofbuckskin and handfuls of beads into the fire. 

"Be sure you pull the bags out in two minutes, " said Lox. "I will go andhunt for some more buckskin. "

In two minutes the women raked out the fire, and found nothing butscraps of scorched leather and half-melted glass. Then they were veryangry, and ran after the joker; but he had turned himself into a coonagain and hidden in a hollow tree. When they had all gone back to theirruined work he came down and went on his mischievous way. 

When he came out of the wood he saw a village by the side of a river. Outside one of the wigwams a woman was nursing a baby, and scolding itbecause it cried. 

"What a lot of trouble children are, " said Lox. "What a pity that peopledon't make men of them at once, instead of letting them take years togrow up. "

The woman stared. "How can a baby be turned into a man?" she asked. 

"Oh, it's easy enough, " said he. So she lent him her baby, and he tookit down to the river and held it under the water for a few minutes, saying magical words all the time; and then a full-grown Indian jumpedout of the water, with a feather head-dress, and beaded blankets, and abow and quiver slung over his back. 

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" said his mother, and she hurried back to thevillage to tell her friends the secret. The last thing Lox saw as hehurried away into the wood was a score of mothers drowning theirchildren. 

On the path in front of him Lox spied a couple of maidens, and they weretrying to reach the fruit that grew on a wild plum-tree. The jokerstepped on one side and broke a twig off another plum-tree and stuck itin his hair. The twig sprouted fast, and grew into a little plum-treewith big plums hanging from its twigs. He went along the path, pickingand eating the plums as he walked, till he came up with the girls. 

"Wonderful!" said they. "Do you think we could get plums like that?"

"Easily, " said he and he broke off two little twigs. "Stick these inyour hair, and you will have head-dresses like mine. "

As soon as the twigs were stuck in their hair the little plum-treesbegan to grow, and the maidens danced with joy, and picked the juicyplums and ate them. But the trees went on growing, and the roots twistedin among the maidens' hair and clutched their heads like iron fingers. The girls sat down, for they couldn't carry all that weight standing. And still the trees grew, till the girls lay down on the ground andscreamed for some one to come and rescue them. Presently their fathercame along, and he pulled his axe out of his belt and chopped off thetrees, and tugged at the roots till they came off--but all the maidens'hair came off too. By this time Lox took care to be scampering awaythrough the wood in the shape of a coon. 

When he came near the next village Lox put on a terrified face and beganto run; and he rushed into the middle of the village, shouting: "Theplague is coming! The plague is coming!"

All the people flocked out of their wigwams, crying: "Where is it comingfrom? Which way shall we fly?"

"Stay where you are and make your minds easy, " said Lox. "I have a charmthat will keep off all the plagues under the sun. As soon as I havespoken the words, every man must kiss the girl nearest him. " Then hestretched up his hands toward the sun and said some gibberish; and whenhe stopped and let his arms fall, each man made a rush and kissed thegirl who happened to be nearest. 

But there were not quite as many girls as there were men, and one oldbachelor was so slow and clumsy that every girl had been kissed beforehe could catch one. 

"Never mind, " said Lox cheerfully. "You go to the next village and tryagain. "

So the old bachelor set out, plod, plod, plodding through the woods. ButLox turned himself into a coon again, and scampered from tree to tree, and got first to the village. When he told the people the plague wascoming, and they asked how they could avoid it, he said: "When I havespoken my charm, all the girls must set upon any stranger that comes tothe village, and beat him. " Then he flung his arms up and began talkinghis gibberish. Presently the old bachelor came up, hot and panting, andstood close to the handsomest girl he could see, all ready to kiss heras soon as the charm ended. But as soon as Lox finished, the maidens allset upon the stranger, and beat him till he ran away into the woods. 

Then the people made a great feast for Lox; and when he had eaten hisfill of deer-meat and honey, he marched off to play his tricks somewhereelse. He had not gone very far when he came to the Kulloo's nest. Nowthe Kulloo was the biggest of the birds, and when he spread his wingshe made night come at noonday; and he built his nest of the biggestpine-trees he could find, instead of straws. The Kulloo was away, buthis wife was at home trying to hatch her eggs. Lox was not hungry; buthe turned himself into a serpent, and crept into the nest and under Mrs. Kulloo's wing, and bit a hole in every egg and ate up the littleKulloos. When he had done this, he was so heavy and stupid that hecouldn't walk very far before he had to lie down and go to sleep. 

Presently the Kulloo came home. 

"How are you getting on, my dear?" he said. 

"Not very well, I'm afraid, " she said. "The eggs seem to get cold, nomatter how close I sit. "

"Let me take a turn while you go and stretch your wings, " said theKulloo. But when he sat down on the empty eggs they all broke with agreat crash. 

The Kulloo flew off in a terrible rage to find the wretch who had eatenup the eggs, and very soon he spied Lox snoring on the grass. 

"Now I've caught him, " said the Kulloo; "it's Lox, the mischief-maker. "

He pounced down, and caught hold of Lox by the hair and carried him amile up into the sky, and then let go. Of course, Lox was broken intopieces when he struck the earth, but he just had time as he fell to sayhis strongest magic:

 "Backbone! Backbone! Save my backbone!"

So as soon as the Kulloo was out of sight the arms and legs and headbegan to wriggle together round the backbone, and then in a twinklingLox was whole again. 

"I shouldn't like that to happen very often, " he said, looking himselfover to see if every piece had joined in the right place. "I think I'llgo home and take a rest. "

But he had traveled so far that he was six months' journey from hishome; and he had made so many enemies, and done so much mischief, thatwhenever he came into a village and asked food and shelter the peoplehooted and pelted him out again. The birds and the beasts got to knowwhen he was coming, and kept so far out of his way that he couldn't getenough to eat, not even by his magic. Besides, he had wasted his magicso much that scarcely any was left. The winter came on, and he was coldas well as hungry, when at last he reached a solitary wigwam by a frozenriver. The master of the wigwam didn't know him, so he treated himkindly, and said, when they parted next morning:

"You have only three days more to go; but the frost-wind is blowingcolder and colder, and if you don't do as I say you will never get home. When night comes, break seven twigs from a maple-tree and stand them upagainst each other, like the poles of a wigwam, and jump over them. Dothe same the next night, and the night after that if you are not quitehome; but you can only do it thrice. "

Away went the joker, swaggering through the woods as if nothing hadhappened to him, for now he was warm and full. But soon the wind beganto rise, and it blew sharper and sharper, and bit his face, and prickedin through his blanket. 

"I'm not going to be cold while I know how to be warm, " said he; and hebuilt a little wigwam of sticks, and jumped over it. The sticks blazedup, and went on burning furiously for an hour. Then they died outsuddenly. Lox groaned and went on his way. In the afternoon he stoppedagain, and lit another fire to warm himself by; but again the fire wentout. When night came on he made his third fire wigwam; and that oneburned all night long, and only went out when it was time for him tobegin the day's march. 

All day he tramped over the snow, never daring to stop for more than afew minutes at a time for fear of being frozen to death. At night hebuilt another little wigwam; but the twigs wouldn't light, however oftenhe jumped over them. On he tramped, getting more and more tired anddrowsy, till at last he fell in his tracks and froze. And that was theend of Lox and his jokes. 

LITTLE MOCCASIN'S RIDE ON THE THUNDER-HORSE

BY COLONEL GUIDO ILGES

"Little Moccasin" was, at the time we speak of, fourteen years old, andabout as mischievous a boy as could be found anywhere in the Big Hornmountains. Unlike his comrades of the same age, who had already killedbuffaloes and stolen horses from the white men and the Crow Indians, with whom Moccasin's tribe, the Uncapapas, were at war, he preferred tolie under a shady tree in the summer, or around the camp-fire in winter, listening to the conversation of the old men and women, instead of goingupon expeditions with the warriors and the hunters. 

The Uncapapas were a very powerful and numerous tribe of the great SiouxNation, and before Uncle Sam's soldiers captured and removed them, andbefore the Northern Pacific Railroad entered the territory of Montana, they occupied the beautiful valleys of the Rosebud, Big and LittleHorn, Powder and Redstone rivers, all of which empty into the grandYellowstone Valley. In those days, before the white man had set footupon these grounds, there was plenty of game, such as buffalo, elk, antelope, deer, and bear; and, as the Uncapapas were great hunters andgood shots, the camp of Indians to which Little Moccasin belonged alwayshad plenty of meat to eat and plenty of robes and hides to sell andtrade for horses and guns, for powder and ball, for sugar and coffee, and for paint and flour. Little Moccasin showed more appetite than anyother Indian in camp. In fact, he was always hungry, and used to eat atall hours, day and night. Buffalo meat he liked the best, particularlythe part taken from the hump, which is so tender that it almost melts inthe mouth. 

When Indian boys have had a hearty dinner of good meat, they generallyfeel very happy and very lively. When hungry, they are sad and dull. 

This was probably the reason why Little Moccasin was always so full ofmischief, and always inventing tricks to play upon the other boys. Hewas a precocious and observing youngster, full of quaint and originalideas--never at a loss for expedients. 

But he was once made to feel very sorry for having played a trick, and Imust tell my young readers how it happened. 

"Running Antelope, " one of the great warriors and the most noted oratorof the tribe, had returned from a hunt, and Mrs. Antelope was frying forhim a nice buffalo steak--about as large as two big fists--over thecoals. Little Moccasin, who lived in the next street of tents, smelledthe feast, and concluded that he would have some of it. In the darknessof the night he slowly and carefully crawled toward the spot, whereMistress Antelope sat holding in one hand a long stick, at the end ofwhich the steak was frying. Little Moccasin watched her closely, andseeing that she frequently placed her other hand upon the ground besideher and leaned upon it for support, he soon formed a plan for making herdrop the steak. 

He had once or twice in his life seen a pin, but he had never owned one, and he could not have known what use is sometimes made of them by badwhite boys. He had noticed, however, that some of the leaves of thelarger varieties of the prickly-pear cactus-plant are covered with manythorns, as long and as sharp as an ordinary pin. 

So when Mrs. Antelope again sat down and looked at the meat to see if itwas done, he slyly placed half-a-dozen of the cactus leaves upon thevery spot of ground upon which Mrs. Antelope had before rested her lefthand. 

Then the young mischief crawled noiselessly into the shade and waitedfor his opportunity, which came immediately. 

When the unsuspecting Mrs. Antelope again leaned upon the ground, andfelt the sharp points of the cactus leaves, she uttered a scream, anddropped from her other hand the stick and the steak, thinking only ofrelief from the sharp pain. 

Then, on the instant, the young rascal seized the stick and tried to runaway with it. But Running Antelope caught him by his long hair, and gavehim a severe whipping, declaring that he was a good-for-nothing boy, andcalling him a "coffee-cooler" and a "squaw. "

The other boys, hearing the rumpus, came running up to see the fun, andthey laughed and danced over poor Little Moccasin's distress. Oftenafterward they called him "coffee-cooler"; which meant that he wascowardly and faint-hearted, and that he preferred staying in camp aroundthe fire, drinking coffee, to taking part in the manly sports of huntingand stealing expeditions. 

The night after the whipping, Little Moccasin could not sleep. Thedisgrace of the whipping and the name applied to him were too much forhis vanity. He even lost his appetite, and refused some very niceprairie-dog stew which his mother offered him. 

He was thinking of something else. He must do something brave--performsome great deed which no other Indian had ever performed--in order toremove this stain upon his character. 

But what should it be? Should he go out alone and kill a bear? He hadnever fired a gun, and was afraid that the bear might eat him. Should heattack the Crow camp single-handed? No, no--not he; they would catch himand scalp him alive. 

All night long he was thinking and planning; but when daylight came, hehad reached no conclusion. He must wait for the Great Spirit to give himsome ideas. 

During the following day he refused all food and kept drawing his belttighter and tighter around his waist every hour, till, by evening, hehad reached the last notch. This method of appeasing the pangs ofhunger, adopted by the Indians when they have nothing to eat, is said tobe very effective. 

In a week's time Little Moccasin had grown almost as thin as abean-pole, but no inspiration had yet revealed what he could do toredeem himself. 

About this time a roving band of Cheyennes, who had been down to themouth of the Little Missouri, and beyond, entered the camp upon afriendly visit. Feasting and dancing were kept up day and night, inhonor of the guests; but Little Moccasin lay hidden in the woods nearlyall the time. 

During the night of the second day of their stay, he quietly stole tothe rear of the great council-tepee, to listen to the pow-wow then goingon. Perhaps he would there learn some words of wisdom which would givehim an idea how to carry out his great undertaking. 

After "Black Catfish, " the great Cheyenne warrior, had related in theflowery language of his tribe some reminiscences of his many fights andbrave deeds, "Strong Heart" spoke. Then there was silence for manyminutes, during which the pipe of peace made the rounds, each warriortaking two or three puffs, blowing the smoke through the nose, pointingtoward heaven and then handing the pipe to his left-hand neighbor. 

"Strong Heart, " "Crazy Dog, " "Bow-String, " "Dog-Fox, " and "SmoothElkhorn" spoke of the country they had just passed through. 

Then again the pipe of peace was handed round, amid profound silence. 

"Black Pipe, " who was bent and withered with the wear and exposure ofseventy-nine winters, and who trembled like some leafless tree shaken bythe wind, but who was sound in mind and memory, then told the Uncapapas, for the first time, of the approach of a great number of white men, whowere measuring the ground with long chains, and who were being followedby "Thundering Horses, " and "Houses on Wheels. " (He was referring to thesurveying parties of the Northern Pacific Railway Company, who were justthen at work on the crossing of the Little Missouri. )

With heart beating wildly, Little Moccasin listened to this strangestory and then retired to his own blankets in his father's tepee. 

Now he had found the opportunity he so long had sought! He would goacross the mountains, all by himself, look at the thundering horses andthe houses on wheels. He then would know more than any one in the tribe, and return to the camp, --a hero!

At early morn, having provided himself with a bow and a quiver full ofarrows, without informing any one of his plan he stole out of camp, and, running at full speed, crossed the nearest mountain to the East. 

Allowing himself little time for rest, pushing forward by day and night, and after fording many of the smaller mountain-streams, on the eveningof the third day of his travel he came upon what he believed to be awell-traveled road. But--how strange!--there were two endless iron railslying side by side upon the ground. Such a curious sight he had neverbeheld. There were also large poles, with glass caps, and connected bywire, standing along the roadside. What could all this mean?

Poor Little Moccasin's brain became so bewildered that he hardly noticedthe approach of a freight-train drawn by the "Thundering Horse. "

There was a shrill, long-drawn whistle, and immense clouds of blacksmoke; and the Thundering Horse was sniffing and snorting at a greatrate, emitting from its nostrils large streams of steaming vapor. Besides all this, the earth, in the neighborhood of where LittleMoccasin stood, shook and trembled as if in great fear; and to him theterrible noises the horse made were perfectly appalling. 

Gradually the snorts, and the puffing, and the terrible noise lessened, until, all at once, they entirely ceased. The train had come to astand-still at a watering tank, where the Thundering Horse was given itsdrink. 

The rear car, or "House on Wheels, " as old Black Pipe had called it, stood in close proximity to Little Moccasin, --who, in his bewildermentand fright at the sight of these strange moving houses, had been unableto move a step. 

But as no harm had come to him from the terrible monster, Moccasin'sheart, which had sunk down to the region of his toes, began to riseagain; and the curiosity inherent in every Indian boy mastered fear. 

He moved up, and down, and around the great House on Wheels; then hetouched it in many places, first with the tip-end of one finger, andfinally with both hands. If he could only detach a small piece from thehouse to take back to camp with him as a trophy and as a proof of hisdaring achievement! But it was too solid, and all made of heavy wood andiron. 

At the rear end of the train there was a ladder, which the now braveLittle Moccasin ascended with the quickness of a squirrel to see whatthere was on top. 

It was gradually growing dark, and suddenly he saw (as he reallybelieved) the full moon approaching him. He did not know that it was theheadlight of a locomotive coming from the opposite direction. 

Absorbed in this new and glorious sight, he did not notice the startingof his own car, until it was too late, for, while the car moved, hedared not let go his hold upon the brake-wheel. 

There he was, being carried with lightning speed into a far-off, unknowncountry, over bridges, by the sides of deep ravines, and along theslopes of steep mountains. 

But the Thundering Horse never tired nor grew thirsty again during theentire night. 

At last, soon after the break of day, there came the same shrill whistlewhich had frightened him so much on the previous day; and, soon after, the train stopped at Miles City. 

But, unfortunately for our little hero, there were a great many whitepeople in sight; and he was compelled to lie flat upon the roof of hiscar, in order to escape notice. He had heard so much of the cruelty ofthe white men that he dared not trust himself among them. 

Soon they started again, and Little Moccasin was compelled to proceed onhis involuntary journey, which took him away from home and into unknowndangers. 

At noon, the cars stopped on the open prairie to let Thundering Horsedrink again. Quickly, and without being detected by any of the trainmen, he dropped to the ground from his high and perilous position. Then thetrain left him--all alone in an unknown country. 

Alone? Not exactly; for, within a few minutes, half-a-dozen CrowIndians, mounted on swift ponies, are by his side, and are lashing himwith whips and lassoes. 

He has fallen into the hands of the deadliest enemies of his tribe, andhas been recognized by the cut of his hair and the shape of hismoccasins. 

When they tired of their sport in beating poor Little Moccasin socruelly, they dismounted and tied his hands behind his back. 

Then they sat down upon the ground to have a smoke and to deliberateabout the treatment of the captive. 

During the very severe whipping, and while they were tying his hands, though it gave him great pain, Little Moccasin never uttered a groan. Indian-like, he had made up his mind to "die game, " and not to give hisenemies the satisfaction of gloating over his sufferings. This, as willbe seen, saved his life. 

The leader of the Crows, "Iron Bull, " was in favor of burning the hatedUncapapa at a stake, then and there; but "Spotted Eagle, " "Blind Owl, "and "Hungry Wolf" called attention to the youth and bravery of thecaptive, who had endured the lashing without any sign of fear. Then thetwo other Crows took the same view. This decided poor Moccasin's fate;and he understood it all, although he did not speak the Crow language, for he was a great sign-talker, and had watched them very closely duringtheir council. 

 [Illustration: "WHEN THEY HAD GONE ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM CAMP, THEY CAME UPON A PRETTY LITTLE MOUSE-COLORED PONY"]

Blind Owl, who seemed the most kind-hearted of the party, lifted the boyupon his pony, Blind Owl himself getting up in front, and they rode atfull speed westward to their large encampment, where they arrived aftersunset. 

Little Moccasin was then relieved of his bonds, which had benumbed hishands during the long ride, and a large dish of boiled meat was given tohim. This, in his famished condition, he relished very much. An oldsquaw, one of the wives of Blind Owl, and a Sioux captive, took pity onhim, and gave him a warm place with plenty of blankets in her own tepee, where he enjoyed a good rest. 

During his stay with the Crows, Little Moccasin was made to do the workwhich usually falls to the lot of the squaws; and which was imposed uponhim as a punishment upon a brave enemy, designed to break his proudspirit. He was treated as a slave, made to haul wood and draw water, dothe cooking, and clean game. Many of the Crow boys wanted to kill him, but his foster-mother, "Old Looking-Glass, " protected him; and, besides, they feared that the soldiers of Fort Custer might hear of it, if he waskilled, and punish them. 

Many weeks thus passed, and the poor little captive grew more despondentand weaker in body every day. Often his foster-mother would talk to himin his own language, and tell him to be of good cheer; but he wasterribly homesick and longed to get back to the mountains on theRosebud, to tell the story of his daring and become the hero which hehad started out to be. 

One night, after everybody had gone to sleep in camp, and the fires hadgone out, Old Looking-Glass, who had seemed to be soundly sleeping, approached his bed and gently touched his face. Looking up, he saw thatshe held a forefinger pressed against her lips, intimating that he mustkeep silence, and that she was beckoning him to go outside. 

There she soon joined him; then, putting her arm around his neck, shehastened out of the camp and across the nearest hills. 

When they had gone about five miles away from camp, they came upon apretty little mouse-colored pony, which Old Looking-Glass had hiddenthere for Little Moccasin on the previous day. 

She made him mount the pony, which she called "Blue Wing, " and bade himfly toward the rising sun, where he would find white people who wouldprotect and take care of him. 

Old Looking-Glass then kissed Little Moccasin upon both cheeks and theforehead, while the tears ran down her wrinkled face; she also foldedher hands upon her breast and looking up to the heavens, said a prayer, in which she asked the Great Spirit to protect and save the poor boy inhis flight. 

After she had whispered some indistinct words into the ear of Blue Wing(who seemed to understand her, for he nodded his head approvingly), shebade Little Moccasin be off, and advised him not to rest this side ofthe white man's settlement, as the Crows would soon discover hisabsence, and would follow him on their fleetest ponies. 

"But Blue Wing will save you! He can outrun them all!"

These were her parting words, as he galloped away. 

In a short time the sun rose over the nearest hill, and Little Moccasinthen knew that he was going in the right direction. He felt very happyto be free again, although sorry to leave behind his kind-heartedfoster-mother, Looking-Glass. He made up his mind that after a fewyears, when he had grown big and become a warrior, he would go andcapture her from the hated Crows and take her to his own tepee. 

He was so happy in this thought that he had not noticed how swiftly timepassed, and that already the sun stood over his head; neither had heurged Blue Wing to run his swiftest; but that good little animal kept upa steady dog-trot, without, as yet, showing the least sign of beingtired. 

But what was the sudden noise which was heard behind him? Quickly heturned his head, and, to his horror, he beheld about fifty mounted Crowscoming toward him at a run, and swinging in their hands guns, pistols, clubs, and knives!

His old enemy, Iron Bull, was in advance, and under his right arm hecarried a long lance, with which he intended to spear Little Moccasin, as a cruel boy spears a bug with a pin. 

Moccasin's heart stood still for a moment with fear; he knew that thistime they would surely kill him if caught. He seemed to have lost allpower of action. 

Nearer and nearer came Iron Bull, shouting at the top of his voice. 

But Blue Wing now seemed to understand the danger of Moccasin'ssituation; he pricked up his ears, snorted a few times, made severalshort jumps, to fully arouse Moccasin, who remained paralyzed with fear, and then, like a bird, fairly flew over the prairie, as if his littlehoofs were not touching the ground. 

Little Moccasin, too, was now awakened to his peril, and he patted andencouraged Blue Wing; while, from time to time, he looked back over hisshoulder to watch the approach of Iron Bull. 

Thus they went, on and on; over ditches and streams, rocks and hills, through gulches and valleys. Blue Wing was doing nobly, but the pacecould not last forever. 

Iron Bull was now only about five hundred yards behind and gaining onhim. 

Little Moccasin felt the cold sweat pouring down his face. He had nofire-arm, or he would have stopped to shoot at Iron Bull. 

Blue Wing's whole body seemed to tremble beneath his young rider, as ifthe pony was making a last desperate effort, before giving up fromexhaustion. 

Unfortunately, Little Moccasin did not know how to pray, or he mighthave found some comfort and help thereby; but in those moments, when aterrible death was so near to him, he did the next best thing: hethought of his mother and his father, of his little sisters andbrothers, and also of Looking-Glass, his kind old foster-mother. 

Then he felt better and was imbued with fresh courage. He again lookedback, gave one loud, defiant yell at Iron Bull, and then went out ofsight over some high ground. 

Ki-yi-yi-yi! There is the railroad station just in front, only aboutthree hundred yards away. He sees white men around the buildings, whowill protect him. 

At this moment Blue Wing utters one deep groan, stumbles, and falls tothe ground. Fortunately, though, Little Moccasin has received no hurt. He jumps up, and runs toward the station as fast as his weary legs cancarry him. 

At this very moment Iron Bull with several of his braves came in sightagain, and, realizing the helpless condition of the boy, they all gave ashout of joy, thinking that in a few minutes they would capture and killhim. But their shouting had been heard by some of the white men, who atonce concluded to protect the boy, if he deserved aid. 

Little Moccasin and Iron Bull reached the door of the station-buildingat nearly the same moment; but the former had time enough to dart insideand hide under the table of the telegraph operator. 

When Iron Bull and several other Crows rushed in to pull the boy fromunderneath the table, the operator quickly took from the table-drawer arevolver, and with it drove the murderous Crows from the premises. 

Then the boy had to tell his story, and he was believed. All took pityupon his forlorn condition, and his brave flight made them his friends. 

In the evening Blue Wing came up to where Little Moccasin was restingand awaiting the arrival of the next train, which was to take him backto his own home. 

Little Moccasin threw his arms affectionately around Blue Wing's neck, vowing that they never would part again in life. 

Then they both were put aboard a lightning express train, which lookthem to within a short distance of the old camp on the Rosebud. 

When Little Moccasin arrived at his father's tepee, riding beautifulBlue Wing, now rested and frisky, the whole camp flocked around him; andwhen he told them of his great daring, of his capture and his escape, Running Antelope, the big warrior of the Uncapapas and the most notedorator of the tribe, proclaimed him a true hero, and then and therebegged his pardon for having called him a "coffee-cooler. " In theevening Little Moccasin was honored by a great feast and the name of"Rushing Lightning, " _Wakee-watakeepee_, was bestowed upon him--and bythat name he is known to this day. 

 [Illustration: A YOUNG AGASSIZ]

 [Illustration]

WAUKEWA'S EAGLE

BY JAMES BUCKHAM

One day, when the Indian boy Waukewa was hunting along themountain-side, he found a young eagle with a broken wing, lying at thebase of a cliff. The bird had fallen from an aerie on a ledge highabove, and being too young to fly, had fluttered down the cliff andinjured itself so severely that it was likely to die. When Waukewa sawit he was about to drive one of his sharp arrows through its body, forthe passion of the hunter was strong in him, and the eagle plunders manya fine fish from the Indian's drying-frame. But a gentler impulse cameto him as he saw the young bird quivering with pain and fright at hisfeet, and he slowly unbent his bow, put the arrow in his quiver, andstooped over the panting eaglet. For fully a minute the wild eyes of thewounded bird and the eyes of the Indian boy, growing gentler and softeras he gazed, looked into one another. Then the struggling and panting ofthe young eagle ceased; the wild, frightened look passed out of itseyes, and it suffered Waukewa to pass his hand gently over its ruffledand draggled feathers. The fierce instinct to fight, to defend itsthreatened life, yielded to the charm of the tenderness and pityexpressed in the boy's eyes; and from that moment Waukewa and the eaglewere friends. 

Waukewa went slowly home to his father's lodge, bearing the woundedeaglet in his arms. He carried it so gently that the broken wing gave notwinge of pain, and the bird lay perfectly still, never offering tostrike with its sharp beak the hands that clasped it. 

Warming some water over the fire at the lodge, Waukewa bathed the brokenwing of the eagle and bound it up with soft strips of skin. Then he madea nest of ferns and grass inside the lodge, and laid the bird in it. Theboy's mother looked on with shining eyes. Her heart was very tender. From girlhood she had loved all the creatures of the woods, and itpleased her to see some of her own gentle spirit waking in the boy. 

When Waukewa's father returned from hunting, he would have caughtup the young eagle and wrung its neck. But the boy pleaded with him soeagerly, stooping over the captive and defending it with his smallhands, that the stern warrior laughed and called him his "littlesquaw-heart. " "Keep it, then, " he said, "and nurse it until it is well. But then you must let it go, for we will not raise up a thief in thelodges. " So Waukewa promised that when the eagle's wing was healed andgrown so that it could fly, he would carry it forth and give it itsfreedom. 

It was a month--or, as the Indians say, a moon--before the young eagle'swing had fully mended and the bird was old enough and strong enough tofly. And in the meantime Waukewa cared for it and fed it daily, and thefriendship between the boy and the bird grew very strong. 

 [Illustration: "HE STOOPED OVER THE PANTING EAGLET"]

But at last the time came when the willing captive must be freed. SoWaukewa carried it far away from the Indian lodges, where none of theyoung braves might see it hovering over and be tempted to shoot theirarrows at it, and there he let it go. The young eagle rose toward thesky in great circles, rejoicing in its freedom and its strange, newpower of flight. But when Waukewa began to move away from the spot, itcame swooping down again; and all day long it followed him through thewoods as he hunted. At dusk, when Waukewa shaped his course for theIndian lodges, the eagle would have accompanied him. But the boysuddenly slipped into a hollow tree and hid, and after a long time theeagle stopped sweeping about in search of him and flew slowly and sadlyaway. 

 [Illustration: "THE YOUNG EAGLE ROSE TOWARD THE SKY"]

Summer passed, and then winter; and spring came again, with its flowersand birds and swarming fish in the lakes and streams. Then it was thatall the Indians, old and young, braves and squaws, pushed their lightcanoes out from shore and with spear and hook waged pleasant war againstthe salmon and the red-spotted trout. After winter's long imprisonment, it was such joy to toss in the sunshine and the warm wind and catchsavory fish to take the place of dried meats and corn!

Above the great falls of the Apahoqui the salmon sported in the cool, swinging current, darting under the lee of the rocks and leaping fulllength in the clear spring air. Nowhere else were such salmon to bespeared as those which lay among the riffles at the head of the Apahoquirapids. But only the most daring braves ventured to seek them there, for the current was strong, and should a light canoe once pass thedanger-point and get caught in the rush of the rapids, nothing couldsave it from going over the roaring falls. 

Very early in the morning of a clear April day, just as the sun wasrising splendidly over the mountains, Waukewa launched his canoe ahalf-mile above the rapids of the Apahoqui, and floated downward, spearin hand, among the salmon-riffles. He was the only one of the Indianlads who dared fish above the falls. But he had been there often, andnever yet had his watchful eye and his strong paddle suffered thecurrent to carry his canoe beyond the danger-point. This morning he wasalone on the river, having risen long before daylight to be first at thesport. 

The riffles were full of salmon, big, lusty fellows, who glided aboutthe canoe on every side in an endless silver stream. Waukewa plunged hisspear right and left, and tossed one glittering victim after anotherinto the bark canoe. So absorbed in the sport was he that for once hedid not notice when the head of the rapids was reached and the canoebegan to glide more swiftly among the rocks. But suddenly he looked up, caught his paddle, and dipped it wildly in the swirling water. The canoeswung sidewise, shivered, held its own against the torrent, and thenslowly, inch by inch, began to creep upstream toward the shore. Butsuddenly there was a loud, cruel snap, and the paddle parted in theboy's hands, broken just above the blade! Waukewa gave a cry ofdespairing agony. Then he bent to the gunwale of his canoe and with theshattered blade fought desperately against the current. But it wasuseless. The racing torrent swept him downward; the hungry falls roaredtauntingly in his ears. 

Then the Indian boy knelt calmly upright in the canoe, facing the mistof the falls, and folded his arms. His young face was stern and lofty. He had lived like a brave hitherto--now he would die like one. 

Faster and faster sped the doomed canoe toward the great cataract. Theblack rocks glided away on either side like phantoms. The roar of theterrible waters became like thunder in the boy's ears. But still hegazed calmly and sternly ahead, facing his fate as a brave Indianshould. At last he began to chant the death-song, which he had learnedfrom the older braves. In a few moments all would be over. But he wouldcome before the Great Spirit with a fearless hymn upon his lips. 

Suddenly a shadow fell across the canoe. Waukewa lifted his eyes and sawa great eagle hovering over, with dangling legs, and a spread of wingsthat blotted out the sun. Once more the eyes of the Indian boy and theeagle met; and now it was the eagle who was master!

With a glad cry the Indian boy stood up in his canoe, and the eaglehovered lower. Now the canoe tossed up on that great swelling wave thatclimbs to the cataract's edge, and the boy lifted his hands and caughtthe legs of the eagle. The next moment he looked down into the awfulgulf of waters from its very verge. The canoe was snatched from beneathhim and plunged down the black wall of the cataract; but he and thestruggling eagle were floating outward and downward through the cloud ofmist. The cataract roared terribly, like a wild beast robbed of itsprey. The spray beat and blinded, the air rushed upward as they fell. But the eagle struggled on with his burden. He fought his way out of themist and the flying spray. His great wings threshed the air with awhistling sound. Down, down they sank, the boy and the eagle, but everfarther from the precipice of water and the boiling whirlpool below. Atlength, with a fluttering plunge, the eagle dropped on a sand-bar belowthe whirlpool, and he and the Indian boy lay there a minute, breathlessand exhausted. Then the eagle slowly lifted himself, took the air underhis free wings, and soared away, while the Indian boy knelt on the sand, with shining eyes following the great bird till he faded into the grayof the cliffs. 

 [Illustration: "WAUKEWA AND THE STRUGGLING EAGLE WERE FLOATING OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD THROUGH THE CLOUD OF MIST"]

A HURON CINDERELLA

BY HOWARD ANGUS KENNEDY

Many years ago there was an Indian chief who had three daughters; andthey lived in a lodge by the side of the Ottawa River--not in a wigwam, mind you, but a good old Huron lodge, like a tunnel, made of two rows ofyoung trees bent into arches and tied together at the top, with walls ofbirch-bark. Oh! it was an honorable old lodge, with more cracks in thebirch-bark than you could count, all patched and smeared with pitch. 

The chief had three sons too, but they were killed in a great fight withthe Iroquois. When the brave Hurons used up all their arrows they threwdown their bows and rushed on the Iroquois with their tomahawks. Theyscreamed and howled like eagles and wolves, and the Iroquois were sofrightened that they wanted to run away, but their own magic-man threw aspell upon them, so that they couldn't turn round or run, and they hadto stand and fight. The Iroquois were cousins of the Hurons, and came ofa brave stock; and as the Hurons were few compared to the Iroquois, fewas the thumbs compared to the fingers, the Hurons were beaten, and onlytwenty men of the tribe escaped down the river, and none of the womenexcept the chief's three daughters. 

Now the two eldest daughters were very proud, and loved to make a fineshow before the young men of the tribe. One day a brave young man cameto the lodge and asked the chief to give him a daughter for a wife. 

The chief said, "It is not right for me to give my daughter to any but achief's son. " However, he called his eldest daughter and said to her, "This young man wants you for a wife. "

The eldest daughter thought in her mind: "I am very handsome, and oneday a chief's son will come and ask for me; but my clothes are old andcommon. I will deceive this young man. " So she said to him: "If you wantme for your wife, get me a big piece of the fine red cloth that thewhite men bring to the fort far down the river. "

The young man was brave, as we have said, and he took his birch-barkcanoe and paddled down the river day after day for seven days, onlystopping to paddle up the creeks where the beavers build their dams; andwhen he stopped at the foot of the great rapids, where the white men laybehind stone walls in fear of the Iroquois, his canoe was deep and heavywith the skins of the beavers. The white men were at war with theIndians, and, though he was no Iroquois, his heart grew cold in hisbreast. But he did not tremble; he marched in at the watergate, and thewhite men were glad to see his beaver skins, and gave him much red clothfor them; so his heart grew warm again, and he paddled up the river withhis riches. Twelve days he paddled, for the current was strong againsthim; but at last he stood outside the old lodge, and called the chief'seldest daughter to come out and be his wife. When she saw how red washis load, she was glad and sorry--glad because of the cloth, and sorrybecause of the man. 

"But where are the beads?" said she. 

"You asked me for no beads, " said he. 

"Fool!" said she. "Was it ever heard that a chief's daughter married inclothing of plain red cloth? If you want me for your wife, bring me adouble handful of the glass beads that the Frenchmen bring from over thesea--red and white and blue and yellow beads!"

So the brave paddled off in his canoe down the river. When he came tothe beavers' creeks he found the dams and the lodges; but the beaverswere gone. He followed them up the creeks till the water got so shallowthat the rocks tore holes in his canoe, and he had to stop and stripfresh birch-bark to mend the holes; but at last he found where thebeavers were building their new dams; and he loaded his canoe with theirskins, and paddled away and shot over the rapids, and came to the whiteman's fort. The white men passed their hands over the skins and feltthat they were good, and gave him a double handful of beads. Then hepaddled up the river, paddling fast and hard, so that when he stoodbefore the old chief's lodge he was very thin. 

The eldest daughter came out when he called, and said: "It is a shamefor such an ugly man to have a chief's daughter for his wife. You arenot a man; you are only the bones of a man, like the poles of the lodgewhen the bark is stripped away. Come back when you are fat. "

Then he went away to his lodge, and ate and slept and ate and slept tillhe was fat, and he made his face beautiful with red clay and went andcalled to the chief's daughter to come and marry him. But she called outto him, saying:

"A chief's daughter must have time to embroider her clothes. Come backwhen I have made my cloth beautiful with a strip of beadwork ahand's-breadth wide from end to end of the cloth. "

 [Illustration: FLUTE PLAYER FROM A PAINTING BY J. H. SHARP]

But she was very lazy as well as proud, and she took the cloth to heryoungest sister, and said: "Embroider a beautiful strip, ahand's-breadth wide, from end to end of the cloth. "

Now the chief's youngest daughter was very beautiful; so her sisterswere jealous and made her live in the dark corner at the back of thelodge, where no man could see her; but her eyes were very bright, and bythe light of her eyes she arranged the beads and sewed them on so thatthe pattern was like the flowers of the earth and the stars of heaven, it was so beautiful. But when the youngest daughter had fallen asleep atnight her eldest sister came softly and took away the cloth and pickedoff the beads. 

In the morning she went to her youngest sister and said, "Show me thework you did yesterday. "

And the youngest sister cried, and said, "Truly I worked as well as Icould, but some evil one has picked out the beads. "

Then her sister scolded her, and pricked her with the needle, and said, "You are lazy! Embroider this cloth, and do it beautifully, or I shallbeat you!"

This she did day after day, and whenever the young man came to see ifshe was dressed for the wedding she showed him the cloth, and it was notfinished. 

Now there was another brave young man in that village, and he came andasked the chief for his second daughter. 

The second daughter was as proud as the first, and said to herself, "Oneday a great chief's son will come, and I will marry him. " But she saidto the young man, "If you want me for your wife, you must build me a newlodge, and cover the door of it with a curtain of beaver-skins. "

The young man smiled in his heart, for he said to himself, "This iseasy; this is child's play. " So he built a new lodge, and hung a curtainof beaver-skins over the door. 

But when the chief's daughter saw the curtain, she said, "I should beashamed to live behind a curtain of plain beaver-skins like that! Go andhunt for porcupines, that the curtain may be embroidered with theirquills. "

So he took his bow and his arrows and went away through the woods tohunt. Twelve days he marched, till he came to the porcupines' country. When the porcupines saw him coming; they ran to meet him, crying out, "Don't kill us! We will give you all the quills that you want. " Andwhile he stood doubting, the porcupines turned round, and shot theirprickly quills out at him so that they stuck in his body. And theporcupines ran away into hiding before he could shoot. 

Then the young man, because he had been gone so long already, did notchase the porcupines, but left the quills sticking in his body and wentback to the village, saying to himself, "She will see how brave I am, that I care nothing for the pain of the porcupine quills. "

But when the chief's daughter saw him she only laughed and said:

"You cannot deceive me! It was never heard that a chief's daughtermarried a man who was not brave. If you were brave, you would havetwenty Iroquois scalps hanging from your belt. It is easy to huntporcupines; go and hunt the Iroquois, that I may embroider the curtainblack and white with the porcupine-quills and the Iroquois hair. "

Then the young man's heart grew cold; but he took his bow and arrows andwent through the woods; and when he came near the Iroquois town he laydown on his face and slipped through the bushes like a snake. When anIroquois came to hunt in the woods, he shot the Iroquois and took hisscalp; and this he did till he had twenty scalps on his belt. 

Now all the time that he lay in the bushes by the Iroquois town he atenothing but wild strawberries, for the blueberries were not yet ripe; sowhen he came to his own village and called to the chief's seconddaughter, she said:

"You are an ill-looking man for a chief's daughter to marry. You arelike a porcupine-quill yourself. Nevertheless, I am not like my sister, and I will marry you as soon as the curtain is embroidered. "

Then she took the curtain of beaver-skin and gave it to her youngestsister, and said:

"Embroider this curtain with quills, black and white, and criss-cross, so that it shall be more beautiful than the red cloth and the beadwork. "

So the youngest sister, when she had done her day's work on the cloth, and was tired and ready to sleep, took the quills and the hair and beganto embroider the curtain, black and white, in beautiful patterns likethe boughs of the trees against the sky, till she could work no longer, and fell asleep with her chin on her breast. 

Then her second sister came with her mischievous fingers and picked outall the embroidery of quills and hair, and in the morning came and shookher and waked her, and said, "You are lazy! you are lazy! Embroider thiscurtain!"

In this way the youngest sister's task was doubled, and she grew thinfor want of sleep; yet she was so beautiful, and her eyes shone sobrightly, that her sisters hated her more and more, for they said tothemselves, "If a great chief's son comes this way, he will see her eyesshining even in the dark at the back of the lodge. "

One day, when the chief looked out of his door, he saw a new lodgestanding in the middle of the village, covered with buckskin, andpainted round with pictures of wonderful beasts that had never been seenin that country before. There was a fire in front of the lodge, and thehaunch of a deer was cooking on the fire. When the chief went and stoodand looked in at the door, the lodge was empty, and he said, "Whose canthis lodge be?"

Then a voice close by him said, "It is the lodge of a chief who isgreater than any chief of the Hurons or any chief of the Iroquois. "

"Where is he?" asked the old chief. 

"I am sitting beside my fire, " said the voice; "but you cannot see me, for your eyes are turned inward. No one can see me but the maiden I havecome to marry. "

"There are no maidens here, " said the old chief, "except my daughters. "

Then he went back to his lodge, where his two elder daughters wereidling in the sun, and told them:

"There is a great chief come to seek a wife in my tribe. His magic is sostrong that no one can see him except the maiden whom he chooses tomarry. "

Then the eldest daughter got up, snatched the red cloth out of heryoungest sister's hand, wrapped it round her, smeared red clay over herface, and ran to the new lodge and called to the great chief to come andlook at her. 

"I am looking at you now, " said a voice close beside her; "and you arevery ugly; you have been dipping your face in the mud. And you are verylazy, for your embroidery is not finished. "

"Great chief, " said she, "I will wash the clay from my face, and I willgo and finish the embroidery and make a robe fit for a maiden who is tomarry the great chief. "

Then the voice said, "How can you marry a man you cannot see?"

"Oh, " she said, "I can see you as plainly as the lodge and the fire. Ican see you quite plainly, sitting beside the fire. "

"Then tell me what I am like, " said he. 

"You are the handsomest of men, " she said, "straight of back and brownof skin. "

"Go home, " said the voice, "and learn to speak truth. "

When she came back to the lodge, she flung the red cloth down on theground without speaking. 

Then the old chief said to his second daughter, "Your sister has failed;it must be you that the great chief will marry. "

So the second daughter picked up the beaver curtain and flung it roundher, and ran to the empty lodge; and, being crafty, she cried aloud asshe came near, "Oh! What a handsome chief you are!"

"How do you know I am handsome?" said the voice. "Tell me what clothes Iwear. "

So she guessed in her mind, and, looking on the painted lodge, she said, "A robe of buckskin, with wonderful animals painted on it. "

"Go home, " said the voice, "and learn to speak truth. "

Then she slunk away home, and squatted on the ground before the lodge, with her chin on her breast. 

Now, when the youngest daughter saw that both her sisters had failed, she said to herself, "They tell me I am very thin and ugly, but I willgo and try if I can see this great chief. " So she pushed aside a cornerof the birch-bark, slipped out at the back of the lodge, and stole awayto the painted lodge; and there, sitting by his fire on the ground, shesaw a wonderful great chief, with skin as white as midwinter snow, dressed in a long robe of red and blue and green and yellow stripes. 

He smiled on her as she stood humbly before him, and said, "Tell me now, chief's daughter, what I am like, and what I wear!"

And she said, "Your face is like a cloud in the north when the sunshines bright from the south; and your robe is like the arch in the skywhen the sun shines on the rain. "

Then he stood up and took her for his wife, and carried her away to livein his own country. 

THE FIRE BRINGER[S]

BY MARY AUSTIN

They ranged together by wood and open swale, the boy who was to becalled Fire Bringer, and the keen, gray dog of the wilderness, and sawthe tribesmen catching fish in the creeks with their hands, and thewomen digging roots with sharp stones. This they did in Summer, andfared well; but when Winter came they ran nakedly in the snow, orhuddled in caves of the rocks, and were very miserable. When the boy sawthis he was very unhappy, and brooded over it until the Coyote noticedit. 

"It is because my people suffer and have no way to escape the cold, "said the boy. 

"I do not feel it, " said the Coyote. 

"That is because of your coat of good fur, which my people have not, except they take it in the chase, and it is hard to come by. "

"Let them run about, then, " said the counselor, "and keep warm. "

"They run till they are weary, " said the boy; "and there are the youngchildren and the very old. Is there no way for them?"

"Come, " said the Coyote, "let us go to the hunt. "

"I will hunt no more, " the boy answered him, "until I have found a wayto save my people from the cold. Help me, O counselor!"

But the Coyote had run away. After a time he came back and found the boystill troubled in his mind. 

"There is a way, O Man Friend, " said the Coyote, "and you and I musttake it together, but it is very hard. "

"I will not fail of my part, " said the boy. 

"We will need a hundred men and women, strong, and swift runners. "

"I will find them, " the boy insisted, "only tell me. "

"We must go, " said the Coyote, "to the Burning Mountain by the Big Waterand bring fire to our people. "

Said the boy: "What is fire?"

Then the Coyote considered a long time how he should tell the boy whatfire is. "It is, " said he, "red like a flower, yet it is no flower;neither is it a beast, though it runs in the grass and rages in the woodand devours all. It is very fierce and hurtful, and stays not forasking; yet if it is kept among stones and fed with small sticks, itwill serve the people well and keep them warm. "

"How is it to be come at?"

"It has its lair in the Burning Mountain; and the Fire Spirits guard itnight and day. It is a hundred days' journey from this place, andbecause of the jealousy of the Fire Spirits no man dare go near it. ButI, because all beasts are known to fear it much, may approach it withouthurt, and, it may be, bring you a brand from the burning. Then you musthave strong runners for every one of the hundred days to bring it safelyhome. "

"I will go and get them, " said the boy; but it was not so easily done assaid. Many there were who were slothful, and many were afraid; but themost disbelieved it wholly. 

"For, " they said, "how should this boy tell us of a thing of which wehave never heard!" But at last the boy and their own misery persuadedthem. 

The Coyote advised them how the march should begin. The boy and thecounselor went foremost; next to them the swiftest runners, with theothers following in the order of their strength, and speed. They leftthe place of their home and went over the high mountains where greatjagged peaks stand up above the snow, and down the way the streams ledthrough a long stretch of giant wood where the somber shade and thesound of the wind in the branches made them afraid. At nightfall, wherethey rested, one stayed in that place, and the next night anotherdropped behind; and so it was at the end of each day's journey. Theycrossed a great plain where waters of mirage rolled over a cracked andparching earth, and the rim of the world was hidden in a bluish mist. Sothey came at last to another range of hills, not so high, but tumbledthickly together; and beyond these, at the end of the hundred days, tothe Big Water, quaking along the sand at the foot of the BurningMountain. 

It stood up in a high and peaked cone, and the smoke of its burningrolled out and broke along the sky. By night the glare of it reddenedthe waves far out on the Big Water, when the Fire Spirits began theirdance. 

Then said the counselor to the boy who was soon to be called the FireBringer: "Do you stay here until I bring you a brand from the burning;be ready and right for running, and lose no time, for I shall be farspent when I come again, and the Fire Spirits will pursue me. "

 [Illustration: THE COYOTE STOLE THE FIRE AND BEGAN TO RUN AWAY WITH IT DOWN THE SLOPE OF THE BURNING MOUNTAIN]

Then he went up the mountain, and the Fire Spirits, when they saw himcome, were laughing and very merry, for his appearance was much againsthim. Lean he was, and his coat much the worse for the long way he hadcome. Slinking he looked, inconsiderable, scurvy, and mean, as he hasalways looked, and it served him as well then as it serves him now. Sothe Fire Spirits only laughed, and paid him no further heed. 

Along in the night, when they came out to begin their dance about themountain, the Coyote stole the fire and began to run away with it downthe slope of the Burning Mountain. When the Fire Spirits saw what he haddone, they streamed out after him red and angry in pursuit, with a soundlike a swarm of bees. 

The boy saw them come, and stood up in his place clean-limbed and tautfor running. He saw the sparks of the brand stream back along theCoyote's flanks as he carried it in his mouth, and stretched forward onthe trail, bright against the dark bulk of the mountain like a fallingstar. He heard the singing sound of the Fire Spirits behind, and thelabored breath of the counselor nearing through the dark. Then the goodbeast panted down beside him, and the brand dropped from his jaws. 

The boy caught it up, standing bent for the running as a bow to speedingthe arrow. Out he shot on the homeward path, and the Fire Spiritssnapped and sung behind him. Fast as they pursued he fled faster, untilhe saw the next runner stand up in his place to receive the brand. 

So it passed from hand to hand, and the Fire Spirits tore after itthrough the scrub until they came to the mountains of the snows. Thesethey could not pass; and the dark, sleek runners with thebackward-streaming brand bore it forward, shining star-like in thenight, glowing red through sultry noons, violet pale in twilight glooms, until they came in safety to their own land. Here they kept it amongstones, and fed it with small sticks, as the Coyote had advised, untilit warmed them and cooked their food. 

As for the boy by whom fire came to the tribes, he was called the FireBringer while he lived; and after that, since there was no other with sogood a right to the name, it fell to the Coyote; and this is the signthat the tale is true, for all along his lean flanks the fur is singedand yellow as it was by the flames that blew backward from the brandwhen he brought it down from the Burning Mountain. 

As for the fire, that went on broadening and brightening, and giving outa cheery sound until it broadened into the light of day. 

 [S] From "The Basket Woman, " by Mary Austin; used by permission of the publishers, Houghton, Mifflin Company. 

SCAR FACE

_An Indian Tale_

The mother of Scar Face the Youth was Feather Woman, who had fallen inlove with Morning Star, and vowed that she would marry none other. Tothis she held true, despite the laughter and jibes of her friends. Andone morning when she walked in the fields very, very early, that shemight see Morning Star before the sun hid his brightness, she met ahandsome youth who told her that he was Morning Star, and that he hadcome to earth for a day, impelled by her love. 

So Feather Woman went back to Skyland with Morning Star, and by-and-by alittle son was born to her. At first she had been very happy in Skyland, but there were times when she was sad because of the camp of theBlackfeet, which she had left. 

Now, in Skyland Feather Woman often dug in the garden, and she had beencautioned not to uproot the turnip, lest evil befall. After she wasgiven this charge she looked long at the turnip and wondered what evilmight come from its uprooting. At last she took her flint and dug aroundthe least bit, not wanting to uproot it; but hardly had she loosened theturnip when it came out of the ground, and she looked down through thehole which it had made in the sky and saw the camp of the Blackfeetspread before her. 

Suddenly she began to weep for her friends; and when her father-in-law, the Sun, saw her weeping, he said: "You have dug up the turnip and havelooked down at the camp of the Blackfeet. Now must you return thither. "

So the star-weavers made a net, and Feather Woman and her child, the sonof Morning Star, were let down into the camp of the Blackfeet. 

At first she was very happy, but soon she began to grieve for MorningStar, and at last she died of sorrow because she could not return toSkyland. Morning Star could not come to earth, for it had been given tohim to come but that one time when impelled by her love. 

And so the little son of Feather Woman and Morning Star was left allalone. And across his face was a great scar, which had been made therewhen he had been let down from Skyland in the net woven by thestar-weavers. Because of this scar he was named, and because of it hewas very ugly, so that the children of the tribe were afraid of him, andthe older folks hated him; they said that evil must be in his heart thathe should have so ugly a face. 

But there was no evil in the heart of Scar Face, and he hunted andfished alone, and became a great hunter, bringing home much meat to thetribe. 

But he was not happy, because of the unfriendliness of the tribe. TheChief had a very beautiful daughter, and all the young men of the tribeloved her; and Scar Face, too, loved her, and longed to marry her. 

So at last he went to her and told her of his love, and asked her tomarry him; and she, thinking to jest, said: "I will marry you when youtake that ugly scar from your face. "

At this Scar Face was more sad than he had been before, for he did notsee how it was possible to get rid of the scar. But he loved the Chief'sdaughter very much, and at last he went to the old Medicine Man of thetribe to ask him what he could do to get rid of the scar. 

"You can do nothing, " replied the Medicine Man. "The scar was put thereby the Sun, and only the Sun can take it away. "

"Then I will go to the Sun and ask him to take away the scar, " said ScarFace. 

"If you will do that, " replied the Medicine Man, "you must journey farto the west, where the land ends and where the Big Water is. And whenyou come to the Big Water at sunset you will see a long trail, marked bya golden light, which leads to the home of the Sun. Follow the trail. "

So Scar Face set out and went to where the land ends and the Big Wateris. And he sat by the Big Water until sunset, and he saw the trail asthe Medicine Man had said. Then he followed the trail, and came at lastto Skyland, where he was greeted by Morning Star, who knew him at oncefor his son. 

Morning Star was most glad at the coming of his son, and they hunted andfished together. And one day when they were hunting they came to a deepcavern in which was a dreadful serpent, which attacked Morning Star andwould have killed him but that Scar Face quickly cut off its head. 

Then the Sun was grateful to Scar Face for saving the life of his son, Morning Star, and he removed the scar from the face of his grandson, which he had put there in anger at the child's mother. 

Then Scar Face went back to the tribe of the Blackfeet, and he was themost handsome of all the youths; and the daughter of the Chief lovedhim, and he had no difficulty in persuading her to marry him. Because heloved his father, Morning Star, he took her with him and set out againfor the place where the land ends and the Big Water begins; and togetherthey followed the trail marked by golden light until they came at lastto Skyland. There they lived and were happy; and Morning Star shone withespecial brightness on the camp of the Blackfeet for their sake. 

WHY THE BABY SAYS "GOO"

RETOLD BY EHRMA G. FILER

On a sloping highland near the snow-capped mountains of the North was anIndian village. The Chief of the village was a very brave man, and hehad done many wonderful things. 

These were the days of magic and witchery. The Ice Giants had attemptedto raid the land; some wicked Witches had tried to cast an evil spellover the people; and once a neighboring colony of Dwarfs had tried toinvade the village. 

But the brave Chief had fought and conquered all these forces of eviland magic. He was so successful and so good that the people loved himvery much. They thought he could do anything. 

Then before long the Chief himself began to be proud and vain. He hadconquered everyone; so he thought he was the greatest warrior in theworld. 

One day he boastfully said: "I can conquer anything or any person onthis earth. "

Now, a certain Wise Old Woman lived in this village. She knew one whomthe Chief could not conquer. She decided it was best for the Chief toknow this, for he was getting too vain. So one day she went to the Chiefand told him. 

"Granny, who is this marvelous person?" asked the Chief, half angrily. 

"We call him Wasis, " she solemnly answered. 

"Show him to me, " said the Chief. "I will prove that I can conquer him. "

The old grandmother led the way to her own wigwam. A great crowdfollowed to see what would happen. 

"There he is, " said the Wise Old Woman; and she pointed to a dear littleIndian baby, who sat, round-eyed and solemn, sucking a piece of sugar. 

The Chief was astonished. He could not imagine what the old woman meant, for he was sure he could make a little baby obey him. This Chief had nowife, and knew nothing about babies. He stepped up closer to the baby, and looking seriously at him said:

"Baby, come here!"

Little Wasis merely smiled back at him and gurgled, "Goo, Goo, " in truebaby fashion. 

The Chief felt very queer. No one had ever answered him so before. Thenhe thought, perhaps the baby did not understand; so he stepped nearerand said kindly: "Baby, come here!"

"Goo, Goo!" answered baby, and waved his little dimpled hand. 

This was an open insult, the Chief felt; so he called out loudly: "Baby, come here at once!"

This frightened little Wasis, and he opened his little mouth and beganto cry. The Chief had never before heard such a noise. He drew back, andlooked helplessly around. 

"You see, little Wasis shouts back war-cries, " said the Wise Old Woman. 

This angered the Chief, and he said: "I will overcome him with my magicpower. "

Then he began to mutter queer songs, and to dance around the baby. 

This pleased little Wasis, and he smiled and watched the Chief, nevermoving to go to him. He just sat and sucked his sugar. 

At last the Chief was tired out. His red paint was streaked with sweat;his feathers were falling, and his legs ached. He sat down and looked atthe old woman. 

"Did I not say that baby is mightier than you?" said she. "No one ismightier than he. A baby rules the wigwam, and everyone obeys him. "

"It is truly so, " said the Chief, and went outside. 

The last sound he heard as he walked away was the "Goo, Goo" of littleWasis as he crowed in victory. It _was_ his war-cry. All babies meanjust that when they gurgle so at you. 

 [Illustration: Copyright by E. M. Newman INDIAN GROUP]