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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 IJ 1.25 1 5.6 U US IS IS, lUUU ||Z8 IIIM IIIM NO 1.4 Z5 2.0 1.8 1.6 A APPLIED iryMGE 1653 East Main Street Rochester, New York 14609 USA (716) ,82 -0300- Phone (716) 288- 5989 - Fax ^ /, ^'-H, PS 8455 H45 W57 Juv ii With Printless Foot." /^ t^sf A HOLIDAY BOOK UF FAIRY TALES RY M. K. CHARLTON AND C. A. FRASER "^■c elves ..r hills brooks, staiviinj; lakes, nn.l j;,-,,ves And )c, that ..n the s^nuN vNJih iiintless f.,)t. Do clm'-c the el'liin;^ Nr|.li!iic.' Klllileil ;i(((.i,i ((.Kill,,; , A't of (he Cirlinii.eni of C; ;in,i I'lii). Co., ;u i c Dcnaiiiiiei.t of A ma.'n in ihe ycir 1S94, l.y The .Sal>i,ioii I.iih Uiiciiliiire. MR INTRO RV TMR SAMISTON I.ITFIO. ANO PIR. MONTKFAI.. CO., ever- very tain supe :^ B ..er c lean /I •if i T main: \vouI( PREFACE 3 Reausv ,s .he unlovoly hnrp, .„ .,.„■ .-onora.ion Not con.en, „i,h bein. our eveHas.,,,, ra,„„iar .n, ,.i, .„. „^^,^,^^„ ^^_^ "^ Z ,2' ^^ "^ •l.--'^'"-- ' "—" n.^-aM,..„ ,„„n .OS, „r u. .0 1:;.;;::::"^^ "^ ^™-"''"^ "^■" -- " " ^^ "■"> "-• poor o,d Bu, now and then, for a brief h -, w. .I.e. li^. v.r, ,r„an,.s Iron, ,he sway of ,:" ""t"';'"' " "'"""• '" ">■ ^•o.N,an's...,.,nd, „horo Obcron.'he lean and jealous, and ,ha, .■ rash ,van,on,- Q,,,„ Ti.a.na, slill crv : •■ My i^iiiil.' I'lick Therelore i, is ,i,at while ,he ,ales con.prised in ,his book have been written mamly ,0 please the yonnfi:, it is ye, boldly hoped that they will amuse others who would belter be if youiijjer, T,tK ArT„oRs. of " WHAT Nu.in-K, ,,,.: sow viiorr this „a,at,.:„ ,;kovi.:? " .Ui,lmm„nf .\igl„s l),,;,m. Acl III., .Sc.-,ie II. KRO.M a rock perched hi^jh on a f,nvon bank Icll in one ,s,ra,..|u shee, - ".ucr a ,na.^^„ncen, .all. Away, on ei>her side of liri b k su-etched sunny n.eadows dotted here and there wi.h ,mov ,';"'' Irnlyi. uasamos, deli,H„rnl place ,o pass one's 'i„,ei, The birds evKlemly ,hou,.ht so, for they flocked thither in lar.e n ,„,b rs anc the woods were filled with their swee, sounds of so n' t j^ -d st,n.set. At noon, when all nauire was drowsv with L the splashing of the waters was all that was heard •' but o > sm , 1 "ear to the fall and listened intently, a soft si.hin', ' : , 'l was sent , ,, sit beneath the waterfall a'nd ,nend hc!r b,': en i '^ wnicn nacl a preat rent n \\ <-iiic-.wi u \ • • • *"'s» ^ rent in it, caused by her si^rhmj^r so much. Rut, i " " WITH I'RlNTLIiSS FOO'l . " alas! Bebcue could not mend hcruin.ir; she had si^rhcd so much that she no lon.^re,- could help it, and even- time she siohed she broke llie th.n cobweb thread with which she was mendini,/her torn win.ir Oiw day, just before sunrise, she noticed an unusual stir amomr ,' '^•;^'^' '" ^' ^^-^ ''''' <^f" ^'^^''" Jusl then came to .-et a drink at the tall, she asked hnn what it was about. - We are ^roin^r to .rive a eoncert in honour o\- the unearthly beauty of the boy " " What boy ? •■ asked Bebette. "Ah! that is just the question 'What boy ? ' - answered the bn-d, as he Hew awa\'. Alllhm n,ornin,y the birds were busy practising- their clifterent part., ami, as ,t ,„aJe ,hc,„ led thirsty, they Uept co,ni„^r ,o the fall lor chinks. Webette asUed each in turn whom it was the'concert was .iriven lor, bu. none of them could tell her. ThcN all .answered that .t «as lor the Hoy, but who the "Hoy- was, none knew, except th,,t It w.as lor the Boy whom overv hodv was talkint,- abom ••I am s.u-e I did not he.ar artythinj.- about him,' sii-hed Bebette. 1 hat IS because you hear nothinj: In.t vour own si.His," said one of the btrds, rather crossly. He was feeling, cross, for son,e of the htrds had said he ou,^Hu not to siii,^. at the concert as his voice uas cracked. Just as the sun dipped low in the horizon, a burst of melody ran,- oyer the meadows. -fhe concert has commenced," said bebette, and as she listened she heard the birds sin, this refrain : " Come ye hither, who would know An antidote for care and woe ; When this Beauteous Boy you see, And unfold the mystery Of his coming, you shall joy And bid farewell to all annoy.' hcd so much led she broke -r torn wiiiir. il stir aiiion^j- driiiU at the ^R to u-ive a n sue red the leir different ig to the fall concert was swered that new, except nit. led Bebette. sit^-hs," said for some of is liis voice of melody iced," said refrain : HKBKrTh. - '' Why, that is the very thini^- for me I " cried Bebette, startin.ir in her seat. - Oh ! if ! could only see this Hov and hnd out all about hmi, then my si^j-hs would cease and I should wend mv wav. Now I wonder if they will sinj^r any more about him." Hut thou.i^h she listened intently, she heard nothiui^- more about the l^ov • in fact the concert broke up m a free lioht. The second number on the projjramme was a duet by the Whip-poor-Will, and the i^obolink At first they san^i^- their parts very prettilv, and it would have been a .o-reat success if Bobolink had not taken it into his foolish little head to wmk at pretty Miss Bobolink ; who sat in the front row of the dress circle. Unfortunately, the Whip-poor-Will saw him. - And .t Miss Bobolink isn't smilin.i.- back at him," he muttered wrathfully' "and I that parted with my last fifty cents to buv her a ticket," and the Whip-poor-Will so tar foro-ot himself as to rush at Bobolink and bci^m peckmo- at him, before the whole audience, till l^obolink cried for mercN'. " Such i>-oinirs on," cried the classical ones ; - we will withdraw." lo make the confusion worse, some disorderb ones commenced sm.^in.u-, -After the opera is over." in the 'midst of all this hubbub, who should arrive but the Turtle, who lived by the sea He had heard there was to be a concert, and bein.ir very fond of music had come to attend it. ' ' " I thought this was to be a classical concert," said the Turtle, in an agi)rieved tone to Bebette. " It was classical at first," she answered, - but I think some- thmi>- went wrong, and all the classical ones left in a bodv. But dear turtle, can you tell me anything about the Boy in whose honour it was held :> If I could but see him and find where he comes from I am sure my sighing would cease. Listen, and I will tell you what I heard the birds singing ; " and Bebette sang the refrain. *J nKMKTTK. I know but little abonf tli,. n. •• only know that he has bj , 1 V ■• "T""'' '''' ''"''''■ " ' - will do, Bebe».. e w , ' j ' T""-' ' '"' ' "'" ^'•"" .™" »'-'. ■^"all H.e .pon „,, ..-U II'^ -.';;;;-- ,;-;;;, ,;'^,^- "i- and ,,. run:tz^:i-zz'' s:i "-'' ''-- "- -" '"-^ec ... directions. ''"• "^^^" "-^"^ «'"< "-keel the birds for oi- ^t::;-^''ot;er;%r^':^;;:T^""f\^'^^^ -- ^-^ '^^ --- Then they asked a fro: who w;;'?" ?•'" "^^>- """ ""-' ^^i- the stream, but he said^l'n the d. . T"?' T''^^ "" "■^' ^'^^"^ "f I- was only ,o take s.,n baths "'■'"' ''"'"'' ''"' -« '" '^ink, " ^^ell, you can sell them a ticket cmV v-^ -. u • ."..;■ nn,ttered a second Kro„ liftin^^r^Z ^h: rte^"^- sleepi/v:""'"^' ""' '-'" "—' '^^ fi- '-•o.. closi„;;reyes ;; What is the ticket for-' inquired the Turtle and it p:zi'7)^T^.:i '"'^ 'r "^^"'^'"^^ --"^^ ^-i'- few left. ■■ ^"■" '"'■■"'^'* ■' better buy a ticket ; only a ;; What kind of nu,sic will you have, cassical :- ^n, classical, of course W. a^ v • / '-■^;;:- -'ft; clas-cal ^^Z. sl^ tf™;:.'" '''^ ^'">- ^^ >•""'• "•^"^' ' I don t know if we c^n <^.^.. " \ •■ Vou see this lady and I a,-e ' 1 '""^!!! ■ ""' ''"''^'' hesitatingly. con::n^;::; ~ "';,::;::; i!:.^^ -■■-^-^ -- not „,iss this my tenupted Bebette. lO i t WITH PRINTLESS FOOT ( ( I n^uld like to attend it, Bebette, if you do not mind waitinp- " said the Turtle. ^ ';Not in the least, dear Turtle; you were disappointed in not hearing the Birds' Concert, and as this is to be classical, by all means let us remain." " When does it commence ?" asked the Turtle. "At moon-rise. See! here comes the notice. The froo-s are going to put It on that tree, so that every body can see it." "" Bebette and the Turtle looked and saw four frogs carrying between them a large piece of bark, and written on it, in large green letters, was the announcement : YE CONCERT OF Y^ SEASON WILL BE GIVEN BY MOON-RISE BY Y^ FROGS. Soon a crowd collected and made various remarks. '♦A concert given by the frogs! Well, I never! Such conceit!" cried a pert little Squirrel, peering at the notice with his bright eyes. " It is going to be a grand concert, and vou had better come " answered a Hedgehog. - I have tickets for all mv family. The trogs are to be assisted by the elves." '' I am glad to hear that," whispered the Turtle to Bebette. " I do so like el6n music. The sweetness of their playing on their reeds and fifes surpasses any thing I have ever heard." When the moon's soft light began to flood the heavens and the shadows softly crept through the woods, there was heard a loud clamouring close by, and presently frogs appeared scrambling up out of the water. The frogs who were to take part in the ^concert grinned with delight, when they saw how manv had come to hear BEBETTE. mind waiting-," "JtMntod in not lassical, by all The froi^s are :e it." drop's caiT\ini2' in lai'^e j^rreeii ilVEN BY 1 1 ich conceit ! " s brijrht eye.s_ better come," family. The Bebette. " I on their reeds ivens and the leard a loud nbling- up out the concert, )ome to hear Ihem, and hopped to their places with ai-,criiv Tl, ,i , , brot,,ht forth and distribtttoJ portfoli o , J ruV^ "'" •■^ ^<•• fifes, andionte.- ::L:;rri;;:: ''"'- -''"'- -'"^ ^-"- -'- --"^ clear and sueet. And, oh, how 'the f' ^ ^d nr.'-^^s'''";f T ■Nobody lias collected the tickets." .iei■ ^^ .reat .s.K.ess. '^. 'I ;.•;-;,,:: J^'''^ "^ concert proved a Bebette, as they once more s^; t^d oH'h^:;;' ^i:;, ''■"' ''' ''"^'^ ^ onr-:H:CT:--S;V-;;-o«.rofsaw.-dt,st Only a woodneck-ei- h<^i-;i>,r .. « •• •' Wh\, ., I I .■ -^ '• '"'■^"■cred Bebette. V\ hat a deal ot harm thev do to our trees " ■ -.IH ,1, T , »k /AL. 'F- . ' ii«-c.s, i,aia the 1 iirt e Oh, no, I urtle, they do not hurt the trees." I 2 I i WITH I'KIXn.KSS FiHVI'. ^^ I hat IS so, cned the Woodpecker, who had over' ard them We are always irettinKr bhimed for destrovin^^. the trees, when we only do ^^ood to then.. Two or three taps will soon tell us if th. tree ,s sound ; ,t ,t is, we leave it. for our food will not be found in a sound tree. " Whv ! I ilun.sht you ate saudList, ' imernipiccl the Turtle. " N'o such thin,tj ! Sawdust, indeed ! " Bebette, seeing that the Turtle was gWiu^ offence bv his rc- tnarks, hastened to sn,ooth matters over by savin^j : - I believe von onl> bore into trees whose life is being sapped'b\'insects." "Well you are sensible," and the Woodpecker looked admir- ingly at Bebette. auinii Seeing he was restored to good hutnor, she asked hin, iC he kn- « anything about the Boy. " Oh, yes, 1 saw him alight on our earth. It was late one even- ing and I was^ just thinking of going to sleep, when 1 saw a flash of light come from Mars, and down came the boy o„ a comet ; bu, where he ,s now cannot say, perhaps he may have returned to Mats. But yom- best plan will be to visit the Weather Prophet he lives quite near, and he will tell you more about it." ,,, y^-' ""'^';;l^'i.'fhted, the two set off, and presently came to where the Weather Prophet was looking at Mars tLugh his teiesco;:^ cuiel'tioir '.!'I7 ""' "■"' ""■ *"'-'■•■' '^^ "'""•'^^'^^ '" -'P'>- t^' 'h-'- f V ;, un ■""" "" "'^' "' '■"■• ''"^y ^' '"^ ^-hin'nev-pots, . ;:: ::;.,' si::;;:;;;.. ' "^"■'•' ^-^ '''''-' -'^- '-- "-- ^-■— - -"'-enii While they were wailing for the Gnomes to brintr tile balloon o V n P lil lo nil yo the foil got grii till rub i'kbi>:ttk. oyer' ard them. tlie trees, when >oo\] tell us if tlu' not be found in d the Tuiile. fence by his re- "I believe you sects." I" looked admir- 1 him if he kn:\\ IS late one even- en I saw a flash >n a comet ; but :ive returned to her Prophet, he r came to where lis telescope, n reply to their V chimney-pots, , ill take \ou up lies, and intend ng the balloon, e telescope and 1.3 The Turtle said he could see nothino- at all. "That's because you are lookin.u- with both eves. \\n, must use only o\)Q at a tmie." ••Onlv„sc one eye, who,, 1 havo ,uo to s.c „i,h ; no, no, Mr. Uo,..,he,- I'rophot ! as Ion,,, as I l,ave luo ovos I intend to nso them ■ no onc-.cyo bnstnoss for „,c. ConK- alon,., •ncho.tc, I do,/, like this plan of one eye; eon,e away, I an, sitre no .i^ood will eonie of it." Hu, jMxnte wonid not listen. She had by this tin,e, with son,e m c d.ffien lt>, n,ana,tred to fix one eye at the teleseope and was now lost HI wonder at what she saw. "What do you see?- eao-eHy asked the Weather I^rophet, as bebette continued to peer into the telescope. " Wonderful ! Wonderful I ' was all she answered. - Wonderful ! wonderful ! - was all the answer he ^^ot. -Come Bebette^ come away," said the Turtle. ^M am sure you see nothino- at all.' Just then up came the Gnomes with the balloon. .u ^^^'''^'' ^'""^ '"' '^ -■'''' '''^''^ ^^ ^^"1^ ^"^1 find the Bov " called out the U^ather Prophet, as he took his seat; and Bebet.: •i.::^::" ^ot i?t,t onl 1> ''' T'" "" '" '"''"■ '" ■'-'"• '^^ Tt,rtle also got n,, bnt only atter a .solemn protest froni him. Tlie Gnomes 14 1 1 Scarcely had Ik WITH PRINTLESS FOOT. the balloon into ribb >m.re<,,,,e „,,„,.,,,,,, ,^,,^^^, ^ three were pitched out. F ^^"S and uith a roar th came down safel V- ortunately, they fell i„to way went ^>-as escaped, and all u Proph My best doth a swamp and so on th( et, as he scrambled grass. .:;sr ' /rir.::;:;-" : f '-^^^- "^e w eath -"fthe.s„.an,pa„dhe,anda;;i,:::z:: ii Voii shouldn't h, IV ^way in such e your best cloth and there, soap bubbles; I bel es into just look at poor Bebette I A icne you are Jioth on when you yr^ sail nio" "1^'- but a fraud; "ice slate vou h, wife sav' ! bis hat cl My hat, where' ivet>-ot her s my hat? All the lH ean groaned the Weather Prop^t,^ ash gioss^rone, oh! What will m>' '"g it renewed h •seized him bv the I i'hen he looked IS i 1 tone. Now I will k •^-ries till the 'I\utl pulled him do round for his tel e vainly tried to brush eu tN out of al ee wn and sat upon him ^^scope, and not find- patience with him. I Come, Bebett cannot ; mv foot i Pyou quiet," said the Turtl and •'^ee how funny he look ^N u) a triumphant great si^rh, for sh ■^ ^'au,t.ht in a hoh e was very uncomfortabh and Bebett ther I i i <^h, Turtle ! dear! rophet, with what little b Stay where you are, hum h ^^ gave a urtle! do 1 re ath th ^^t me up," n ere was .eft in h roaned the W ea- im, us such a trick. D <^ut ; but I m ^'K'-; you must be punished for pkn on t si^irh so, Bebette, [ will idea how fi ^'•sts,t upon this humbug a little I CO 'uuy he look onp-er yiig uie and help you >ou have no Believe m e, I ed balloon would b '/ entreat you. Turtle, I real I and urst ; and I was mak uever thoup-ht th at wretch- 3- was not roo,i,„. ,„,, oh,,: rr'" r"'^'" ^"'- ^-- ' et me up, you are so h eavy BEBETTE. Awa}- went ped, and all ^'amp and so tlie VVeather nci n^r about I K"^^ sailiiijT ^iit a fraud; ave trot her hat will my -d to brush id not find- wit h him, '"iiiniphant tte ^rave a the Wea- 'I'playini^r help you have no twretch- lars. / ^ heavy, 15 A peal of iuerry Iau.irhter interrupted the Weather Prophet and a voice cned out, - Oh, dear I oh, dear ! what a si^rht : nothing- to be seen but a pair of little lei^s on one side, and a' head with starinp- eyes on the other." Here peal after peal of lau.^^hter was heard, then the bushes parted and out came a boy. - The Boy ! the Boy ! " cried Bebette; - I know it, I feel it; yes, lurtle, my s.g-hs have ceased," and with a ^lad crv Bebette pulled her foot out of the hole and came runnin^r towards ihem. Mr " u ''''J^''^'' ''''''"''''' " '"^"*'"^'^^^^l the Turtle, as he irot up off the Weather Prophet, who bounded up like a ball, and disappeared as last as his fat little lei^s could carry him. ''Let him ^ro,' said the Boy, as the Turtle darted forward to dotam hmi; - his wife is waitin^r for him with a Hue new birch ' " and ai.am the Boy went off into peals of lau^rhter in which the urtle and Bebette joined. In fact, Bebette laui^rhod so lon^^ that the lurtle became alarmed and betr^red the Bov to thump her gently on the back; but the Boy said to leave her alone, as she was making up for the lost time spent in repining. The fact was that the sound of her laughter was so pleasing to Bebette that she went on laughing just for the pleasure of it. Then the Bov and the Turtle laughed in pure symp^uhv with her, till all three were exhausted and had to stop. hi the meanwhile, Bebette had been looking at the Boy and found that the reason he appeared so beautiful was, that his counte- nance shone with such a look of happiness, that it attracted all to him. " No sighs there," she said. Then she became alarmed lest at the thought of a sigh hers would return. But no; she was delighted to hnd that she had no wish to sigh ; hut went to work on her broken 1 6 1 1 ''■'■'" '''i niission, np'elcil ; the id. " COME UXTO THESE YELLOW SANDS." The Tcmpi'st, Act 1.. Scene II. " A sound of son^ Beneath the vault of heaven is blown ! Sweet notes of love, the speakiuir tones 0{ this brioht day, sent down to say That Paradise on earth is known." As the Councillor uttered these words half to himself and half to his companion, he stopped in his walk and looked over the island He was standm^r near the summit of a mountain, and as he i^azed at the scene beneath him he slowly repeated the verse, dwellin^r 0,1 each word with a lovin.i>- intonation. Ka^^erly his .".'ob:;;-:::- -:-,--. hat .^i:a waifs. '9 ii'l of licviven, ^I'c'tl. Somc- ?n tr\ lo veil 11 ill all iliivc- ■'itinir til the •II in Alinlier Hin^»- rays of 'till it rested •It ^Teat ex- xniriiit)- isle ; '^' iiaiioht to t those calm •ions storm, flow all had ">w broke in is best." it a bit, wo it was not ceiided the - over the ^ '^ew faint 1st ni^rht's 1 vain, for the -iiid M before " A storm brewintr, PolI\, lid ml,..,. ,, i . a u S' ' '^";' iiu, as lie I I! lied to the house. Who woidd have thoui^.h. ,,. after sud. .. day of sunshin.? Laiit|h uIkii ri rains. Only lolly complains. Joy when 'tis hut, I'olly iVelteth not." answered PolK. " Tine, most wise Poll, Init I «as not hvttin,i..- Little rest did the Councillor ^'ot that niohi, (or ,,s the honrs sped on, the storn, n.ereas.d in violence. .Never, dnrin^- all his stav on ll.c .sland had he ren.cnbered one so violent. The little honse "h.cl. he had l„nh wi,h snch dillic.dts threatened eve, . „,on,en, to u".l.c doun. I he noise ot the surl hre.ahln.u npon , ,e shore was lil^o the roar ol artillery. " Ho ! 1 lo ! ■' shrieUed the Ston..-Ki„^,, as he lashed the hillows ...to j,n-eater hn-y ; " llo! Ilo ! it's a very line ni,t.h,,' ,.nd he tore up the yreat trees In their roots and ll.ni.i;- them far and wide. The Co.ntcillor shnddered as he listened to the roar ot the le,n- post. ••Ood have meiv>' npon those who ride the waves this awlul n..< .t, he tnnrmnred a^min and a.i,Min, and it was not till mornimr that his tired eyes closed in sleep. Bat not for lonjr did he sleep ; he was ronsed h^ I'ollv ntllin.. I..... n- the sleeve. .|nmpin,i,r up he followed her as she Hew d .wn to |l>c beach, and there, jnst beyond the reach of the boilintj foam ashed to a mast ol ., ship, were a little ^irl and bov. Down ttpon i.s knees sank the Cotmcillor and with tre,nblin\, fintjers n'did he fastenings which bonnd the two little thini,.s. Then' ^.ath.rin,. them ,0 his arms he hurried back to the house. Life' was stiM fluttenng ,n the.r little forms, and with care thev might live. So he 20 \VIT11 FRIXTLESS FOOT. .hese :\ :;r''''''Ven ::;:'^i;ri """ -t' "-'- '-■^^'-> '^■-p. ..reu. u.l,o,. a,K, sno ^ tr '^ '^"l '"' "'^^'''''f-^'" -" "-'-V the ship and » her. ihov h 'V ^ M"oslu.„.d ihc-n, ahoLU could Je„K.n,: n „ ' hir'L r,'"' '"' T"'' "• ■^^'>-' "^''"'" SrowpalcaiuFthcv n 1 ■ "' "'^' '"" 'i"''-- 'aces would ::« he ceased s,' "". '^f '' "'"' "'" '"'• ^'■'«'"^-"^'^' couueiiio,., .. oi .ill ,.:,':::;,,, - '^i-:::;';'>,;; i;'^"";'^^' came fVoni " ti, , • "*-''- •I'l'-' wIkmv tliev fo.;:.;::':..e,.v :::;;:"i''-"'^^''- '"r' -:-■• ''^^'^ '"-'•^" "^^■•^ "-• calFed then, hi a, ,V ■''"''"''''■"' "^'^"' "■""^■^ "l^--^" ^c the Councillor • ^ '" ""^ ""•^- "'" l-''-^' --' ^^'-V -"e ,o hand .he; t™ d n .h o t ' h e h'^ ''''' ''''"■ ""-'' '" .atherin, Ho.ers, hu. o^Tj^. £:^:;rZ:J"JZT' '"^ Lo uowith such a fierce wooer. Then the '•» $ •• 'ig them drop to leave them her poor ship- 1km- did he see, I lar^e ship, ^'rislied except dreii and thev I iheiii about ^<^ sa)', neither em before the e faces would ^k frightened, thout^ht the 1 where they •uo-h they had lies when he ■HHes, '^ Lilv Gu\- come to 1' ; while the '■. Hand in n the woods where there 2venin^ir, just )ld them this loved by the 1 because he 1 he should ■■^aid, 'i\o,' Then the I SEA WAIFS. 2 J Storm-King uorUed himself into a chvaclful passion and said she must marry hmi. " Bu. ,he N.V".pl- .mswered, • How can I „«,-,•>■ ^■on uhen I do not 1. ve you ^ I love the Sea-Kinj,, and hin, onK uill 1 n,arr^-/ Marry hn,. then ! shrieked the Storn.-Kin'o-, • |„„ ,,„;,„t,e, , wdl punish yon and he looked fiercely at the Nvn,pl, to frighten her, but she was brave ' '^ and looked him steadily in the face and said, ' I will marry my love lor all your threats." " There was jrreat rejoicino-uhen the Sea- Kino- took his beautiful bride home and all went well for a lono- time, till one nio-ht therecame , a dre^idful storm, and when at last it ceased, , their babe was nowhere ♦ to be found. Then the '4 Sea-Oueen remember- I ed the threats of tlie Storm-Kiui^- and knew he had stolen her babe. " They searched the great ocean but could '"" ''"i'l l'i'i>- Their messengers were sent lar and wide to all the seas and oceans asking if aught had been heard of the babe. Hut no one had seen him. "Then from the ocean came the wailiny crv of the noor nin,l,er calling her babe by name. ■ Foam-of-thcVSea, Foam-of-the-Sea.' 22 ( t WITH FRINTLEBS KOOT. And all the soa-nymphs wept when they heard the lone crv -.nd prayed that their queen niij^ht be comforted. • '' f^'*-"^- it ■'^^^ liappened that one day as two nyn,phs were seekir. forFoa,n-of-the-Sea theycanK. to a lovely little island resting! nj: s ste, of the Storm-Kniji- came to them and said, • Well, mv ^rett^ Nymp s, nhat do you here ? Seeking- for Foa,n-of-the-S a r TJ. '> Go back to your queen and tell he, that I have chan.^ed her bab^ nno a s„x.et boy who deliglus in nothin,,. so ntuch ^.s wh n hi qu,ver,s full of darts which he scatters far and wide anu.u people o, the earth. Open your eyes and see for yourself wha channn,,. hoy have made of him.' The nvmphs awoke w .tar and looked ea,,.erly about then, to see who had been spe k uv o hem w.kst they slept, but no one was in si.,ht. Vet, s.'av, : t •om : ^^-^, """-f "" ^' '-'^^'l^-^ -n-ey shielded .hei'r eves ■on, the sun and looked aj^ain. Ves, sureK, there sat, smiling a, hen,, a boy wuh wonderfully b,-i,,l,t eyes and a roguish n,ile. 'V >eld ,„ l„s l,.uul a bow, and a quiver full of daril lav bv his side Ka„,.o,. he-Sea, they n,urn,ured to each other, and '.hen tit' called hu„ by uan,e a,.un and a.gain, entreating, him to come wi them, but he only sn,i|..d the more and shook his head. Then t, moved to ,o to h,m, but instantly- he set a dart and ai.ned it at th ,' and s r,cken w,th sudden tri^ht, and yet not knowing, whv, Z . mphs plun,ed ,„to the sea and swan, away, and tli' boi- wil, a mu,y^ n,,sch,evous lau.d, spread his little uinjfs and flew farawa^ Oueel, "" ' " ■ "•■'"''''' '■'"'"'■'"' '"""^ ''^'-^ ^"'' '"--"-^ '^' 'l'^' ' ^o-lT^\ King heard the news, he shook his head and said, Poa -of-tne-Sea wdl never more return ; the witch has chan.^ed hini nuo a cupid, and his name now is Love." xlist hoV the ■f)acl inn( feel OUO-! beaii twhis cilloi ! M islan ■whic to tP tradi had ! wisel P hitter they 1 flowe SEA WAIFS. 23 "And what did the poor Queen do?" asked Lilv in ^reat distress. - ^ lioldnio- It to Lily s ear. - I know ! I know ! ' she cried ; '* the Queen told her sorrow to the shells, and they ever after murmured, ' Foam-of-the-Sea will come back some day, and this comforted her. " " Out from empty pot or pan, Never since the world beo-an. Bread nor milk, nor porridirc ran," announced Poll)- whh a very grave air, ,or she uas he^nnning ,0 feel hun.^ry. .'Conu-, children, ihafs a l,in, Iron, Polh tha, ue >^"^rht to be .^.oin,l,. home ; and see the sun has dNed thi skv with l^ea.nful colors, hut they are fading- away, and ^oon will' come ^at, sndlinc. a, t'lt^ ' " '"T "",'' "'"■" *'"""""' '^"-' "^^^"'^^'^^-r, UW and G,n 'h mile. H ^ 7'';^f,7T^'''"''""^''"'^'''''^'>'^^™' "- ^--'l-' ^--'n- #'": ' ''":' '^'''' '^'"'^ ^'■"' 1^"" tli'-'y "'H,ld never, never tor,.et it 1,.^ H""'Vr"'r '"^r"'"' "" ""^' ^'"-^ ^' ^'^'P ^"'"^" «"'-'>' I'V the |s and I he Councdior was j^reatly excited, for this was the' first fo tt!" 7^""' P"^-^"' "'^" "">• -"^•^- his stay there. He sii,„alled |o them and they sent a boat ashore. He found that i, was a ;radn,H- vessel and that a passage would gladiv be given them. I I iie Councdlors heart was .sore when he hade farewell to wh,u I lad ong been a delightftd home, but he concluded that he h.-ul acted ■^vt.sely m seeking a home, where if anything happened to him, others would be around to protect and look after the children Poor little Lily hid her face in the Councillor's arms and wept h tterly, for she had no time to bid her friends good-bvc, and would Ihey not th.nk ,t very unkind of her. There were' her favorite flowers, and the birds, and her dear crabs, who alwavs c,-,me un ,.„. ' lone cry, and •s were seekino restini,>-iii mid- !-ank upon the Ireamt that the I'ell, my pretty e-Sea, are you '.■' mo-ed her babe 1 as when his :ie a mo no- the ourself what a awoke with a heen speaking VY't, stay, wa.s ed (heir eves ly by his side, nd then thev to come with . Then they ed it at them, 'Hi,'' ^vhy, the the boy with ilew faraway d news to the ead and said, has changed H (( WITH PRIXTLESS FOOT." and dried l.er toar^ at sij^h, of |,id P ;; ' .'^•"■0 a cry of joy disturbed In- the strancreneJ f , ' •'' "'''' '""^ ^''^" ""'^h ^o the sailo;V annlleZ:"" '" ''^^ ■•'~"'"' '^^-'•- -"'^^ "■'^. "u.ch " Hasten not, nor make a din, Fuss and flutter seldom ivin.'" -nt''nfe'i'r :t;'i:r -;',-'--^'"^':.r"'->- -'^ '•-■ --^ P^ea. hand in hand thro rth" thi:^ JTT", ' "' '"" ^■'^''^''•'=" «-''- Plore their deepest parts at ?.'' """^'' •"^' ^'■^''"'"i"-'^' ^ ex- li,?lu of the wood n- s ieft e d 1 'T f""-^' "*"=" ^'^^ """ ""•'"> amon,. the trees u s -v f ■'"'""" ''^'^''"'^ "f 'l'^' waves upon^he lonrs;;;:;,^: S, ^.l^' -•: ^'■"; -"l^-e of the "Pancldo,v„withmanvajovo;;stut ' "'"•"""'" ^-^' '■esponsihilitv. And ^visoi^ 1 '"'.",'' I" '^''^'^ "P "^'-' ^^"^dc:, of for this perilous ,h, B ' ' Ih ''"'"^ """■ ^"""-"-- P-Pared them Polly words of isd;^^ Hou"'' T'"''' '" '''' '^'"'"' '^'^ '^''"l ^at,,.h, their opening, m df 4 "r '"u \ ""'>" "' ''^' '"^'^ '^^ "-'^-^1' I'S-ht. And at ni .ht «he,- T '-ejoicnijr i„ (1,,, sun- •t onl) look a I iier, holdino 1 cry of jo\ h1 been much 'ed out, much the old plea- ildren wander iiblin^r to ex- heii the dim i^hiuir of the j umble of the I ^' would race sland home, le burden of epared them ^ had taup-ht ' to nourish " nieant the ■ ill the sun- irds and the i^mmdeur of there. >iis deep in 3w the sea. id when he id beautiful SKA WAIFS. presents from the far-ofT hinds where his ship touched. And one never-to-be-for^.otten day came a letter sayin^r that Guy was now a captam of a fine ship and that he was comin.ir home for a lon.^ visit As the Councillor read the letter, Lily's eyes .^rrow bri.^rhter and her sm, e sweeter than ever, and the Councillor, as he looked at her, hushed the s,,.h that lay dangerously near his lips, instead of which he asked, Wdl the Sea-Oueen make the Sea-King happv when he comes home?- And Lily, with a smiling nod, ran up to her room and takmg up the shell which Guy had given her on their departure from the island, held it to her ear, and it sang so sweetiv to her over aga.n the story oi Foam-of-the-Sea. And as she listened she said softly to herself, - I, too, will marry the one I love." •i.# T^ I In the and mir Thi eacl in t hap ovei an.d stor yeai carr " WHAT HEMI'KN HOMESPUNS HAVE WE SWAGGERIXc; HERE, SO NEAR THE CRADLE OF THE FAIRY QUEEN ? " Midsummer Nighfs Dream, Act III., Scene [. In a country so far away from here that it borders on Fairyland, there is a great, wide, treeless moor. A single road winds across it,' and dotted about in clusters are small dwellings in which live simple- minded people who herd sheep and cultivate Httle patches of ground. They lead peaceable lives, and are all very friendly together, ''visiting each other and telling, over and over again, stories of strange doings HI the unknown realm which lies so near them. It has sometimes happened that the mysteries and revels o^ that magic world have overlapped the border line, and very curious things have been seen and heard by the dwellers on the moor. But at the time of my story's commencement nothing of the kind had occurred for many a year, and the tales were looked upon as belonging to olden times. One day a stranger came among them. He arrived all alone, carrying his luggage in bundles. These he laid upon the ground 28 i t WITH I'RIXTr.KSS FOOT. The friencMv people," ,1c ,>''u'''' ""'"'^ " '^■■'*-''" •*""■■''• 'Hem, and onfv sel d L' "?' ''"' '"^ """''' '^--- "-e of thev ceased OS, akwih him" h"' ""^ """" "^' "''" •""'- ^o Thiy walked arou d h h ^l' " T' """''^"^ ''"" "'^ h*-' ^"'■'«=''- o..e man sa d la w^ n e ' " ""' *"'"''-""" '^"•" "^'^>' ^eld, a,u Peepin, o. ..o'^^H r^^r- t^rrXrh^l'lt,'?;" ^^^ T crow.i sol with j,'li(terinjf jrems "' '' ^"''^'•■" accustoL-d .o labt; wi : , r;;^;;]: 7;';^' '■•'^''" -. -• "- --st had many faidts- and i„do,., h u , f'"«"«--»ork of his house He ben j,hH,ims:;v:r,i:, :: j r ^S;;^«• "^-^ -^ "^^^-e dcr. The sides of H-.n K * "'-^ ^^'^^ ^ serious blun- so It ended in his puttier o„ tl, , ,i , u ' '" '■'"'= "^ "'em, at which he could ^^efnor,"' T' '■""' '""'"^' "" P'«'^ bours, when they sa^^ it'r^ilh: .^Tlh ^ etrV "' ""*''''- termswith him, for thev thou..ht th- ,o k ^ . "" ^"'""^ the chimney would be -.'now ;\ "''' "'"^ """^'^ foot at strongly than befo e t^ il, i:" r"''""' "'" "^*'>- *■'•" '""- " f--." they said sadiv ''h mu ,'"'; ""^ ""'"f 'he question, him when he builds in this .nanner ' """ '''' """'' "-^ --' andlTr:,t:tetLr,i;r:i:r^^^^ one by one down the chimt,ev, the mo^c^ '' . L'' ''""^ peering mean„d,ilethrou,,hthe-|;.t.icedwrdow""" "' ''' "'"'^ And after that, he could be seen bv th„ u By day, aye, and by ni.ht also, roHn'^ l^rhrstZ" " '''" ''' w IHK HOISK WITHOl T A DOOR, 29 as really unhappy, It sword. ■ none of me. So worked. >eld, and he saw, I ^'■olden " He must be a hermit, " they said, "And yet he has a princely look. 'Tis a pity." And as they did not know his name, they j^rave him one and called him Eremos the Lonely, and as time went on, he became known also as the Hermit of the Moor. And, indeed, his mode of life was very hermit-like, seein^^r that all day lon^r he read, only appearin^r for a little while about sundown on the roof of his inhospitable abode to take the air. There he would sit upon the chimney led^e, which was in a sense his door step. Well, one moonlij^rht ni^rht a very curious thing happened as he sat there later than usual gazing dreamily into the summer air where one would expect to see nothinir more important than fireflies or moths. The House without a Door was somewhat apart from its neighbours, and no one else was near to observe a very odd-looking, crooked little figure that suddenly alighted on the roof. Where this person came from, the Hermit could never tell. He had not seen his approach, nor had he heard him scrambling up the wall, and he was startled enough at the strange appearance, and still more when the intruder, in harsh and strident accents, asked : " Whom have you got down in that hole, eh ? " and pointed a long and mis-shapen finger at the chimney. " I have got no one there," replied Eremos. " No one, eh? " repeated the odd little man suspiciously, "and what is the hole for? Where dungeons are, prisoners must be," and he put his head to one side, and wore a most unpleasant leer. Eremos had arisen with the intention of bidding his strange visi- tor to depart, but the little man just skipped past him, and seizing hold of the ledge, swung himself down by one ar into the room below. The Hermit ga/ed down the chimney after him, and saw him groping about in the dimly lighted corners as if searching for some- thmg. It was quite too dark for him to see, and with an angry ex- ;>o Willi i'kintlf:ss foot. clamation, he caiitrht hold ot a strair^Hinj^- moonhoam which had entered by the window, and twisted and jerked it about so as to hi^'-IUen in turn each nook and crannv. He even, still holdino- it, o-ot down upon his knees and threw the pale i^lare under the table, while his brio-ht eyes scanned that hiding; place severely. The way in which he handled the moonbeam, brou,«rht home to the mind of Ere- mos very vividly the fact, at which he had been .iruessin,ir, that his weird visitor was a fay or i^roblin of some kind. He was slio-htly hump-backed, very u^^'-ly, but as active and lithe as a squirrel. When the search was concluded, he ihinir his uncanny torch aside, and blew on and licked his fingers as if to cool them. Then with a jump, a jerk, and a scramble he reo-aincd the thatch. " You seem to understand the management of moonlight," Ere- mos could not help saying. "Eh? Oh, yes, 'fairy moonlight,' you know, ha, ha ! But I can't waste time listening to your clack now; tell me, and truly, mind you," and here he pointed a finger threateningly, " mind you speak the truth—has any one passed by this way to-night before me ?" " Not to my knowledge," replied the Hermit, and he thought to himself that even if some poor fugitive had taken that route in Hying from the horrible little goblin, he would not help the pursuer. " No one, eh ?" repeated the creature, " Not a damsel with star- like eyes, eh ? Answers to the name of Jessamine. Have not seen her, eh ? " And when Eremos shook his head, the goblin slid nimbly down to the ground, and moving off was soon lost to view in the increas- ing gloom. The night air grew chill, and the hermit went into his dwelling and sat down upon the three-legged stool which he had made, along with the table, out of the wood that was left from building the house. He usually sat there at this hour and read, but on this night he did 1 pi THE nou.sF<: withoit a DcIOK. I not open a book. P'or once he seemed roused to interest in other things. He looked under the table, and into the corners as the i^oblin had done, as thout»-h he too expected to find sonieoiie there. Hut he held no fairy torclilig^ht in his hand, and all was darkness. I le repeated to himself the name that he had heard. " Jessamine, Jessamine," he repeated softly, "It is a prett}' name. I would that she escape this goblin." And then he started, for he thought that something tapped upon the lattice. It was a gentle and timid little rapping, and he was not quite sure that he heard it. He waited, but all was still, and then he sighed. The sigh was because, for the first time, he felt lone!)', and had almost hoped that the sound mig-ht betoken another visitor. And as he sighed he said again : "Jessamine, Jessamine." " It is I, Jessamine," said a voice at the window ; such a sweet little voice. It would have been silvery, only that it was so sorrow- ful ; it sounded like falling tears. Hremos sprang to the window and opened it wide. There, out in the darkness, shivering in the chill night breeze, stood a little figure, clothed in white gossamer. He could not see her plainly, for she stood where the house cast a shadow in the moonlig-ht, but in the darkness her two eyes shone with starry beauty, and Kremos remembered what his first visitor had said. He leaned out, and taking her cold, trembling hands, he drew her up to the window and lifted her inside. Oh, such a forlorn little damsel had surely never strayed from Fairyland before. Her gossamer robes were draggled ; her hands and her lovely bare feet were torn and bleeding. " I am Jessamine," she said, piteously, "you called to me, and I came." "And you shall bid me serve you," said Hremos, and as he 33 \MIH I'RIMLKSS li>OI. spoke lie j^^laiiced tor .he first time in inan\ a cla\ at his sword which hun^'^ idly on the wall. " Most Iovel\ Jessamine, I will do your hiddiiijL^- whatever it be." " Hut \oii are the Hermit M' the Mi^or," she said, " the Hermit who iie\er leaves off to stiid\. " "True," said I'j-emos, heavily, and he wondered a little how she knew so much about him ; and then, because his heart had opened before the beauty oi' her eyes as a flower folded all throu^rh the tiark nii^ht expands in haste at daydaw n he fort>ol his silence and patient sorrow, and told to her the secret oi' his stran_i»-e manner oi life. " I am a Kini,s" said he, "but a Kin.i»- who has never sat upon his throne, because when the day arrived for me to i\o so, I failed to pass my examination ; was plucked, in short, throu^rh a tardy memor\ , and nothiui^ remained but, with my crown and my books, to fly into this .'olitude, where, by readinj;^- day and nijjfht, I ma\' yet be enabled lo conquer this difticulty. 1 brought my crown," he explained, " to prevent any usurper from takinj^^- the place thus temporaril\- vacant." Jessamine, in spite of her sorrows, was interested, " But will the\' not easil\' make another crown ? she as ked. N o," replied Hremos, " they have no pattern. Thev are capable oi attempting it, but 1 am satisfied that they cannot succeed. But no matter for my crown, I have here my sword, and with it 1 will slay anyone who dares to molest \ou, for I have ever been mightier with sw^^rd than with book ov nnn^ and, had mv examination been trial of strength or agility, 1 had not be easily vanquished. I can kick harder and higher than en so know," he added, thoughtfully, and then in more bu anyone I ■lik( siness manner, he as iked \'ouv enemv is a dark-faced little p-obli n. is he not ? A hunchback, who wears a wicked leer? THK norsi: wnnoi 1 a ihh>k, In reply the beaiililul J. ssainine c 'vorecl her I ace \vi th lier aiul sank shiverintr to ihc floor, aiul ii was sunicienll) recovers J to explain her emoti hand: was si>nie time het i>re she on. II abroad o\\ a mission whose retinue I am. lie h comjx'i iiK' to divulge the secrets o( h c is a ,i>i>hlin," she said, " into whose hands I fell whilst r iny liej^e lad\ , the Oueen of the bairies, o\ IS endeavoured by cruei imprisonment t o er court. This I have not donK.\ althou^^h I despaired of re^'-aininj^'- my liberty. 'I\)-nii?l opportunity occurred to escape him, and I lied. Alas, a M'H •n I better off? My win^rs he has clipped, and I nor may I send any messaire to my friends in the farthest b'airyland, because I cannot date a letter h nd al. feh IS, a..» any dial which truly tells how the shadows pass. *' But we can tell the time oi' dav here. cannot sately strax-, sei»-ment o( ere, beini^- so far from cne d I' we know also the day of the week, the month, and th rem OS. ant Hut J e N ear essamine shook her head and smiled sadi " Such dates as th( regulations with us ar ese would never <.\o. she re plied, 1 1 the postal e so strict and thoroui^di that most lett never reach their destination at all. A letter dated ers IS you sui^i^est le would have no chance. The only way, if you, kind Hermit, will ! -t me remain here awhile, will be to await the possible arrival of son other fay, who will tell me the latest date. We are oftener here- about than you fancy," she continued, "and I have frequently, in happier days, in company with bl.thesome sprites, watched you pored over your books.' N'oii as fair J But I know a belter way out of this difliculty than your pla n, essamme, ' exclaimed Kremos Bid me ^o hence to ascer tain this date for you. I will penetrate far into Fairyland, and L for so sweet a sake any perils that can offer. C)nl\ tell me w CO I u'se to follow. " Lirave hat Th is seemed so much the best way, that with mingled tc ars and 34 1 1 WITH PRINTLESS FOOT. rejoiciiii^s they at once bade one another adieu, and Jessamine, as she fastened on the sword oi her royal envoy, said : '*When yon cross the border, and are within the precincts of Fairyland, remember that you are within a circle. A circle is the shape of an apple pie, and the mai^fic land is divided into portions by lines which meet in the centre." "That is again like an apple pie," said Eremos, brightly. He was clever enougfh when he was not at an official examination. *' So it is," replied Jessamine. '* Well, you must follow any line that leads to the centre, where the Great Magic Sundial stands, which makes known the date by the flight of Shadows. This observe, and return to me." Eremos willingly undertook to follow these directions, and set out without more delay on his chivalrous enterprise. He was not long- of finding the border, over whici lO dweller of the moor was ever willing" to cross. It was marked by a hedg^e, and generally when an errant sheep or turkey strayed beyond it, the owner was willing" rather to lose it than to follow. Eremos gfaily vaulted over the slight defence. His spirits had risen, and he seemed another person since he had quitted his books. He whistled as he went, for even kings are jolly of heart at times. Seen from the moor, the couniry which he now traversed had appeared flat, bare and uninteresting ; but, curiously enough, as soon as he breathed its atmosphere, a change came over all that he saw. It was as if he now wore coloured spectacles, and rose-coloured at that, for everything had become delightfully pink, and he felt elated with the charm of it. He seemed to breathe enchanted air, and looked about him for some cause of it all, but only great butterflies flew about in the sunshine, and flowers bloomed at his feet. But presently he noticed that these same sweet and quiet blos- soms differed from any that he had known. He stood still to gaze THK HOUSE WITJIOUT A DOOR. 35 upon them, and lo, and behold, the plants o-rew as he looked, and follow! iiir them with the eye, he saw that they reached the rainbows that spanned the sky above. About these beautiful arches the plants twined their tendrils, and he saw that he was reallv walkino- about in an immense arbour. It was all ver)- stranivc A rainbow seen at nio-ht-timc is, in itself, a very remarkable thin^ir. Kremos looked about him for a dividing lin..^ such as Jessamine had bade him seek, but nowhere could he see any sij^ni of such. A thought struck him and he looked overhead, where the glorious bands of colour were seen through waving wreaths of vinos and {lowers that were interwoven among them. As he gazed he became certain his idea was right, and that the rainbows met and crossed one another, right overhead, in the middle of the skv. "These are the lines," he exclaimed aloud, "and I must find the tag end of a rainbow, and climb to the centre." To this end he now struck out boldly for the horizon and walked with energy for a long, long time, only to find that as he advanced, the horizon receded from him, and the central and loftiest part of the sky, where the rainbows met, continued to be directly overhead. He felt bewildered. "Does the whole world move with me?" in despair he asked aloud. "Am I the North Pole?" So awful a thought, joined with the loneliness of the place, might have driven him mad in time, had not fatigue, at this very moment, so overcome him, that he was forced to succumb, and hardly had his head touched the bundle of grass which he hastily bound together for a pillow, than he gained respite from torturing disquiet by sinking into a deep slumber. Now, Eremos liked when he slept that his head should be ver\' high, so to make himself more comfortable he had, in lying dowii placed his hastily made cushion upon a leafy little plant which grew 36 WITH FRIXTLKSS FOOT. there. But in that wonderful land neither plants nor anvthinp- else are to be trusted for a moment ; one never knows what they will do. and it is alwa\s the unexpected that happens. So it turned out that I^remos, who had thout,'-ht only of snatchini^*- a little repose, was, whilst he slept, borne aloft upon this plant, which spread in such rapid wise that he had hardl\ be^atn to dream ere he was higher up in the air than the top of any elm or maple tree you have ever seen. Its branches stretched out, so that not only his head, but his whole body was well supported. Up, up he sped ; the plant was growing so fast that it actually creaked. Upwards, and further yet, until the world below was lost to view and the fleecy white clouds were about him. Just as the waving boughs of the immense tree reached the rainbows and began to wreathe and twine about them, Eremos awoke. His astonishment was so great that he had very nearly rolled over and off his strange bed, for naturally it was full of gaps that might easily have let him through, but he per- ceived his danger in time, and laying firm hold of a twig near at hand, he remained still until he was able to step out upon a land- ing place. He found himself in a country stranger than anyone ever dreamed of. it might most truly be said of it that it was all the colours of the rainbow. He stood near the centre where the beauti- ful bows met, and they stretched away on every hand. And the flooring between them was wonderful, too. It was transparent, and so bright that it reflected everything like a mirror, and Hremos could see his own form quite distinctl) , only, of course, he appeared to be head downwards. y\nd the leaves and llowers were seen there, too, as were also the glittering butterflies and gaily-plumaged birds that daried about in the air. And amid all this revelry of colour, on^ tint seemed to prevail, and it was the hue of a June rose, and Tfrr: hoise witiioit nooF<. .>7 hremos ^n.essed now why ilic uorld below had been lin^red with so lovely a blush. The tint had shone thmi.,!.h the transparent Hoor and bathed all beneath it in beautx-. All was so pink and so charnini^r that Kremos felt very happy, and exclaimed aloud : " This is the true Fairyland ! This is the home of Jessamine ! " Speakini^- her name made him remember his mission, which the surprise of his sinirular arrival had almost put out o( remembrance. He was, as we have seen, quite near the centre, where the Ma^k Sundial was to be sou^rht, but in the confusion oi' the moment he for- .irot this part of his instructiofis, and set out alon.ir a Hower-decked road that seemed to cross the rainbows and lead into rcKnons out of si^Wit. It was in the memory-subjects that he had been plucked in the exammation that had cost him, temporarily, the use and comfort of a throne. Well, he had not ^rone far on his way when he discovered a band of sprites, who uore a very dejected appearance, and were hard at work repamtin.i,. a faded space in one of the rainbows. Thev were chamed to^rether by a coral strin^r, and were evidejith a .iran^r of culprits. Hremos came upon them suddenlv, and when thev saw liim, their tear-stained faces briirhtened, and'they Hung aside' their paint-brushes, and sprintrinjr to their feet, cried : "An intruder ! An intruder! Let him pav the penalty I "• Then all the band clapped their hands, and they flocked around him, clamouring to him to sever the chain which bound them. Scarce knowing what he did, and bewildered by their number and persistency, he undid the coral band, and had no sooner accomplished this than he saw his error, for, seizing the chain, thev, one and all, laid hold on him and bound him hand and foot. He remonstrated meanwhile, but uselessly, and it was not until thev had him fulh secured and they paused for breath, that one replied to his demands for an explanation of their behaviour. ^^ 1 1 Wllil I'HINTI.IiSS KOOT. "Wo are in clis.i,n-ace,- said ihis fay, "and are undon^oi,,,. l-n,.sh„,e„.. Wo were no, ,o be freed un.il „e had painloc? thi^ loUions arch, or/,m»dsomco„r chc to do it! I la, ha, ha ' " And the sprites ianj^hod lon,ir and loud besides, \ an> pressed for iniie, and the task is h-nt;.' " Oh, yes, it is lon,t,s" laujrhed the heartless little creatures " it "n'joy 'of itV'^' """'"''' '''"■''' ^'' ' '"""""'" ''"■''""'• ^""' ^^^'^^ And they busied themselves in trimmming- their uin.rs for n,..ht 1 he one who was latest in takinj. his departure said • "You had better labour well at the task, for, ere lon^., the Oueen w,ll pass tins way, and if the work be not done yot, ,vi'll be handed over to be Stung by Bees." And in a twinkling this one too was gone, and iiremos fotuul h.msolf alone and u, a bad plight indeed, for the selfish little crea- tures „, then- haste to be away, had stupidly tied his hands behind nini, and his feet to^>-ether. " What shall I do ? " he groaned, " if the dreadful naming bo t.-ue, and I rea ly suffer unguessed torment from some malignant "sects? Porwitat do I know of Bees in Fairyland? The^ are doubtless, ot monstrous size and shape ! " ' ' And he had but time to finish the' groan with which he ended h,s speech, when, con.ing towards hint, he espied a gorgeous train of beings richly attired, and lovely as a summer's dav. The throne was led by one who wore a crown and carried a sjeptre or waiuf 1 hese creatures were as different as possible from the rascally little elves vW,o had placed Eremos in his present grave predicintent. Iheir beaiity made him think of Jessamine, and he telt sure that they were her companions." They stopped when they reached the spot where he stood, and THE HOl'SE WITHOUT A noOR. the face of .he Fairy Queen ^rew sien, as she looked upon the "What means this disorder? I commindorl th.t n. . • subiecfs ron-,;,- fi.: i , . ♦^^'mmanaed that certain errnur -i rival fhTi'l I r"^'"' "■'""''""■ • ''^"^' 'hen do I find o„ nty a.nval th,s w,ld disorder, and in the midst of it a trespasser on n ■ de,..T,e. wh.lst they who shonld have done ,.y behesfarrLrh:;- 'Most royal Lady," replied Fromn^ «m b,an,e for their default^' Knol :hat'7;;rhere L 2 Z 'I^^Z or one tnore worthy than they, and likewise your snbjec t o^. , — wUhllw^ih'!!!!.^. '^"'^^ '" ^"""^^ '-- --'- my'rettn-n ;£ Alas, and alas, the royal Hermit's memory, never reliable had neruhat it «as that Jessamme had bade him discover- and is h. hesitated and stammered, the fairy band looked at ot'ie lo he .s.Rn,ficantly. and the Queens eyes ,.rew dark with TpCr and hu' ' "''"' ' '^ """' ""' '"'"^ "f 'he word '"d e and this was very stranj^e, becattse he had always been so fond '.f ea.mj, dates that he might be supposed to have tha wo d of • orovs ,n vain H,s treacherous memory simply would not work while, most unku^kily, that other part of his head, called the Btn ,' fo Association of Ideas, was in first rate order, and ,.oing like all w, ha the power ttirned on. And so it happened that all he c:" dates ! And, horror upon horrors, he finally blurted out • A b'.g, may it please your royal Grace ! " "A Fig, indeed ! ■' murmured the fairies. "Would Jessamine 40 i i WirH TKINTLKSS FOOT. have sciu hilluM- this knavish iiurutlcr on so trivial an errand? We have never known Jessamine to value fij^s so hii^hly I And said the Oueen, deeplv incensed : 'Mt pleases m\- royal Grace that yon, most audacious tres- passer, he instantly transformed into a Will o" Wisp, vaj^'-rant forever ! '" "Mercy, nios^ powerful Oueen I" cried ICrcmos, only prevent^'d by the chain which fastened his feet from falling- upon his kjiees before her, as she raised in air her ma,i(ic wand ; " Mercy, if not for ni)- sake, for Jessamine, whose behest I obey." " Go," commanded the Oueen, turninj^- to one o( her followers, ''^o to the dweHins^«- oi' the Hermit o\' the Moor, for this is he, and see if he have there our lost Jessamine in cruel captivity. Invest vourself with fullest majL^ical powers that you may undo his spells ;" and as her attendant disappeared to do her biddings the Oueen, ex- tendini^- her sceptre touched the unfortunate I^remos upon the brow, and instantlv he vanished, and from the spot where he had been, there rose a flickerinii: flame that danced, and faded, and shone again, all in the space of a minute. And if it paused for a moment vou could see the form and lineaments o( l^remos, that most miser- able o\' ki Ilia's. " Beirone," said the Fairy Oueen, "and perform your aimless gambols upon earth ; serve as a torchlight to fugitive lovers, and terrify the unw.iry who molest them, thus may you yet have your uses." And earthward he went, and though he seemed to ^o like a comet, so swiftly and so sure, yet his course was so fantastic and capricious that he made slow progress, after all, and it was long ere he reached and crossed the hedge row and found himself once more upon the open moor. He spun and danced along gaily enough to outward seeming, but a certain nucleus in the flame, which really THK HOirSK WITHOUT A DOOR. 41 A loiterer said to his companions • ' in ehe Ha., of ..Lit,' ehl^rv.; c::;; ^r ^z:^:: '- -": rain. ' *^ uoois w.is a si^rn of It was nij,.hl-tinic. A Will o" Wisp sleeps hv ,l-,>. , ■ seen then. This is the w.v «.;,i P '""'-''■^ ''> '!•'>, arul is never 'and, fo>- there niHu u i d v r"''^'! ''■' ""' """''''"'' ''' ^'-O'- ramble forth by iS-,n h s' t"'^' '''"■"" f^""'"- ■-"«' ^''ves early to bed u, no ' ' ''"' '■"•""■^'^" ''^y '' '" ^'««l '^ ™ one^.a;b:\;r:;::;te;^ ir::": s::r "tb"^' "; "*'• "t worms, late or early ? ^^'' ^'^'^'^^'^ to catch Well late on this ni^rht, when the dwellers o( th. M .. . knew well the danirer of bein.r -.K.-. 1 ^'''"■' '^'^^^^ ralnbow-circled bonte. Tli; beso Irhe"'"- 1 "I ""' ''" '^''" with artaiments to leave th.t I '^ , ' "'"' "^"^''^^""'-''H'* and The fairies saijg : " Come, Jessamine, from vain re^rrets. So vain regrets. From grief that thy sweet bosom frets 42 WITH l'F-ain, here will I wait his return. Go hence, and tell our Liege Lady that here I pine until she loose from him I love her cruel spell." And the fairy band was fain to depart, for they had been long with her, and in the east a faint light gave warning of the approach of day. Now a fairy can, in ordinary circumstances that is, if you can in any case call the circumstances that surround such a being ordinary ~ a fairy can render herself invisible at any time if she so THE IIOISE WITIIOIT A fHHIR. 4.1 please, but. you see, Jessamine was not ' in full possession of her ".ag,ca powe,-. Sl,e was no,, so ,o say, in ^ood condi.i „ oli J o tlje cl,pp,ng of her ,vin,^s. So i. fell ou. tiL .he ,.ooU p o <^- the Moor very soon discovered .•■ -t a lovelv damsel whom ,h o course jnd.,ed .o he n,or.al like themselves, inhabited t e H ^ e W.thou a Door, and also that Eremos was no lon.^er there. Thev were full of surmisinirs and said: ^ " Depend upon it, this is his hride, and he has ijone awa^• to fetch a ^■....nttc weddin,.-cake, and it will he frosted all oj "an adorned wtth favours and flowers and tapers " ' vas at the firsHn.t an idle conjecture; and they used to ^4e .,p the road and watch for the arrival of the cake ' retin!,!' fT'\^' '*'"'"■" ''^ ''"'"''^•" ""■'>■ "''''' "•'"'' ^'"-•^''•hI h)' .h have d t''""" 7" ." P'""" '^'' ■■"'""" -'^1 clistinction. We nave always known that. but as";h''''" ""''' "f": '■'*-''"• "^^-y 1^-' ^'l-ys Kutessed a, his rank, but as they gosstpped thus, and awaited the arrival of a royal bride Rroom, surrounded by po,«p and cake, there danced and' whi led wmJ'wJ'f'' '" ''' '-''-' ^'■•-■'^- ^"- "-■ -^-^ '' hom'ii Gradually the people drew near to Jessamine. They co.tld not make fortnal calls becattse she sat always upon the outside of Z house, and was therefore, as anyone mi,.ht see, verv much Not At IZl .'^."V^'^Tr'''' "^-'^^^l-s upon the K^round, and seein, that the he,j.ht of the buildint; was so inconsiderable, th^y were awt to converse quite nicely. - Do you look for his speedy return, Mistress?" asked one who was the Reeve, one evening. - I do nothing else day or night, but look for it," replied the sad Jessamine. * 44 1 1 WITH I'RINTI.FCSS FOOT. "Ah," said a little Shophortloss, "how foiul and faithful is love ! " " it nuisi he that they cannot ^ci the ov^n heated suRiciently for so larj^'^e a cake, and so it will not hake," said another. "Surely nothing*- else would detain hiin so lon}^." " Is that it, think you. Mistress?" asked the Reeve. " It is the spell," replied Jessamine, wearily, for their talk sometimes wearied her. " * The spell! ' " they all echoed in one breath, and then were silent, wondering,'' what it meant. " I cannot spell well myself," began the Reeve, "but I never let it stand in my way." At this the people laughed loud and long, for it was notorious that the Reeve was very badly educated, and had really won his position by his good nature alone. When the crowd ceased their laughing, Jessamine, who had not understood what it all meant, asked : " Can you then conquer spells so that they do not stand in your wa)' f The Reeve grew red at this, because his friends and neighbors laughed more merrily than ever. " What is it you want spelled. Mistress?" he asked, " Put it to the crowd, and let us see how many of them can give it since they are so smart." " 'Tis a Will o Wisp," began Jessamine, and got no further for the clatter which arose. All the people desiring greatly the fun of hearing the Reeve blunder over this word with its two capital letters and apostrophe, insisted, with much noisy mirth, that he attempt it. He stood rubbing his head, and looking very foolish, indeed, in the fine predicament which his tongue had got him into, when the little rifK' \iovsK wiTiiorr \ n ook. € 45 Shepherdess, who was very kind-hearted and could feel for him Ix^caiise she also was not learned, stepped up behind him and whispered the only thin^^ that she could think oi. '' First catch your Will o' V\'isp, was what she said. " Ay, ay, and let him spell it," cried the Reeve. " Thank you, my irood ^rirl. Look here, mistress," he continued, addressino- tho sad Jessamine, - I'll spell the word easy er.ou^h for vou to-morrow, lis too late now, the word is an uncanny one, and who knows what may be about at this hour? We live too near the border here to spell out name of fay or troblin after sundown." This sobered the spirits of the mob at once. Thev had not noticed before how late it was, and thev, on<^ and all, liastened home to bolt their doors, draw their window curtains, and go to bed. Hut the Reeve \\ni:;^red behind, and beckoned the Shepherdess " VVhen and how shall I find the Will o' Wisp?" he asked. The Shepherdess shivered with fri.i^rht, for she did not like speak- ing of such thing, late in the evening, either, and she only answered hastily : ''One danced by here only a few nights ago. I watched him from my window. But I svould not follow him, were I you. I would not do it for a king's ransom. Ugh, look yonder," and she screamed, -there he comes," and she drew her shawl over her head, and ran to her home as fast as she could. And sure enough, when the Reeve looked in the direction towards which she had nodded her head, he saw, a good distance off, but coming towards him, a pale light that danced and bounded, although there seemed no real merriment in its gambols. It was more like an unhappy spectre tossed in the breeze than a light- hearted dancer. Now the Reeve was no coward, so although his teeth chattered in his head, he pulled himself together and went forward to meet the 46 " Willi I'KIMI.KSS KOOT. iTohWn liolu. Just to Slav the heaiinvr of his heart and keep his miiul occupied, he talked to himself as he walked, althouK^h he was onl" d3ie to say over and over the same words that he had just heart': from the Shepherdess. It sounded like ^rihherish. - I would not follow him, I would not follow him, follow, follow him, not for a kin^r's ransom. Oh, dear, how hot it is ; I am streamiuL'- with perspiration, not for a kin^-'s ransom, oh, no, not for a kind's ransom ; a king's ransom, A KING'S RANSOM. His voice had risen to a shriek, and his han- was standmir strait^rht on end. The pale flame with its K^litteriiiir heart was approachin^r at an awful pace. But not even then did the Reeve crive out, althouj^rh his knees knocked to.i^^ether so that he could hear Them, and he felt as thou.irh, whilst his feet were ^roin^^ throu^Hi a form of taking steps, yet he made no progress. He really looked as awful as a very shy young man entering a drawing-room. -A kilo's ransom! A KING'S RANSOM!" he shouted, as he met the phantom face to hice. And ''Oh, ransom and sav ■ me; 1 am the king, ' came taintly from the flame, and, horrified as he was, in that moment the Reeve perceived that the weird light had human form, and his heart smote him when the changed and tremulous tones recalled to his mind the voice of the Hermit of the Moor. "And we chattering of wedding-cake whilst he wa^ abroad in this scrape !" thought he. His goodness of heart was so great that, overcoming his terror, he extended his arms to stay the motion of the light, but uselessly. Who ever hindered the movements of a Will o Wisp ! - Stand steady, sir," cried the Reeve, who had removed his hat, for he had taken note of the fact that the Will o Wisp had declared himself to be a king. " Stand as steady as you can, and give me niv orders. They shall be obeyed, and speedil) , or 1 am not the Tin; HocsE wiihoit a dch)k. 47 fteeve of this Moor. This is some fairy's doinj^, I'll he houiul, sir." *'Savc iiK', save me," came laintiy a^rain from the flume as it rose hi^lier in air, aiul, then clescendinv^, it wailed " Pierce, oh pierce my heart I " " Mut how can I do that, sir?" asked the Reeve, and as soon as he uttered the question, the whisper of the Shepherdess came hack to his mind most aptl\. '' ' f-irst catch your Will o Wisp," he said aloud, "Aye, that must 1 do, ere I think of savini- or killini-, please vour majeslv. ell, he went on, addressin|L»- the dancinij- phantom which piteouslv waved its arms towards him, ''Well, I take it that you can't t^nve any assistance towards the catchin^s yourself, and therefore this enterprise devolves entirel\ on me. " Now, it is a very stran^re thiiiir, but I cannot really tell how often I have read of very i^reat men who could never learn to spell. It is quite as if an inability to spell were one of the sii»-|is of trenius. I always look with pleased suspicion on anyone who writes to me: "I am knot a Tending'- skool at prezunt," or who calls me his '' d<.'cr frend." The possyhillytees B4 sutch pepel ar orate. Certain it is that the Reeve was of this ir\fted many, and it is equally suu- that at a moment when every circur ance seemed too formidahle for con- test, he i in en ted a plan . rescue which was so simple, and yet so satisfactory, that he could not refrain from clappint,r his hands. It was nothini»- else than this : Kremos was the Will o' Wisp, the Will o' Wisp was fire a thm cotton irarment catches hre readily if it only touch flame ! St^ shoutin.i^ to the royal Hermit to hold as still as he mi^rht for a hrief space, the Reeve ran for home as hard as he could. Arrived there he tw itched the sheets off his bt-d, and rolled them loosely around him, twisting also a pillow-slip about his head. Thus arrayed, off he set on his hazardous mission. And here he showed 48 i ( WITH PRIN'PLKSS FOOT. how truly clever he was. His steps were directed first towards the church, for in its steeple luuig the fire-bell. He gave the bell a good pull, and laughed as he ran onward, for it continued to vibrate, and mingling with its loud clang, he could hear bolts withdrawn from his neighbors' doors and windows, whilst night-capped heads were thrust out to ask where the conflagration was. In but a few minutes more all the dwellers on the Moor were out and running with common consent to the engine house, for these good people had long been equipped for surprises of this kind, and had a fire brigade which was a credit to the Moor. Nearly all the men and boys belonged to it. It was easy enough to get on their brass helmets, and draw out the bravely shining engine, but where to go was another story. They had no horses, and the engine and reels were drawn by the fire- men themselves. These looked eagerly in every direction for darting tongues oi' flame, or even smoke to appear, and were beginning to fear that it was a mistake, when a cry arose from the outskirts ot the crowd, and ere anyone had time to ask what it was, a blazing column of fire rushed past, and made in the direction o\' the House Without a Door. But the little Shepherdess, as it passed her, gave a scream. " It is the Reeve," she said, *'the Goblin Light has got him ! " and she sobbed and wrung her hands, for she remembered that in an idle moment she had bade him catch the Will o Wisp. Poor little Shepherdess, she was like to be trampled by the rushing people, for she was too greatly distressed to get out of the way. '* How tond and faithful is love ! " And the brigade was in pursuit, and the laity, that is, the people who were not firemen, were after the brigade, and in this wise they reached the House o\' the Hermit. L'-ure. It was an awful Up tht wall SCI ambled the blazing figi THK HOUSE WITHOUT A DOOR. 49 si^»-ht. A weird and horrid scuffle seemed to be taking*- place ; a brawny form, seen liirou^^h the flamin^r sheets that enveloped it, appeared to hold itself" back, strui,'-t,'-ling a^>-ainst the power of the vague shape of fire which drew it on. The stalwart figure was the Reeve, nobly unwilling to draw near to the hapless Jessamine, lest the contact set her gossamer robe alight, and the force that bade him onward against his will wasKremos, whose eyes, uplifted for a moment, had beheld in the air above the radiant form of the Fair\' Oueen. High in air she watched over the safety of her best loved maid o\' honour, whose faculties were so benumbed with grief that she was all unconscious that so powerful a friend hovered near. The Will o' Wisp gathered his nearly-spent energies tog-ether, and in a prolonged wail, which, after all, was so faint that it sounded to the mortals on the ground below like the sighing of the night-wind, he said : " Oh, cruel Queen, pity, and undo this horrible and undeserved punishment ! " " Most insolent mortal," replied the queen, " it is thy fault that Jessamine, refusing my endearments, mourns here. And I know, also, that by thy machinations, thou hast nearly compassed the ruin of this foolish fellow, whom they call the Reeve. Him I will rescue and restore to his kin." The Queen's accusation was, of course, quite unjust. I'he fact was that she had been so much disturbed about Jessamine's unhapp)' plight, that she had not really been observing lately what was taking- place in Fairyland, or in the Moor, and was rather guessing at things. When she had spoken she extended her hand and gently touched tlie sheeted form, and behold, in an instant the flaming drapery fell away, and the Reeve stood suddenly revealed to the gaze oi' the astonished populace. And not a moment too soon, for a stream of water was Just ready to play on him. 50 WITH PRINTLESS FOOT. He was about to address himself to Jessamine, when the Fairy Queen, perceivini»- his intention, applied her sceptre more roujrhly than before, and sent him topplini^ to the ground. Of course a ^•reat commotion ensued, and messengers were despatched in haste for an ambulance, and their attention being so fully taken up, the Dwellers on the Moor failed to see a very strange scene on the roof, stranger indeed than had ever been told in their fire-side tales. And it was a very pretty sight, too. The lovely Jessamine, with out- stretched arms, knelt suppliant before her Liege Lady, beseeching- pity for the unhappy Eremos, who, waving arms of flame in frantic ri c t F s I o 1 o o if c\ al "AND VO,; WHOSE PASTIME >S TO MAKE M'VSTKKV OK n,K OKKKNWOCH, rKKK. 57 ;;f^opp,e! oh, Poppiellsitvou?" '-- 1^- :s 2t;r: :----v-^^ ve., .pi,, ,. ,0 . her toes whilst she sa^l^ : '"^ "'^""'"^ P^^^^^'-^, a dance on " Poppie, Poppie, is it you? Ves, and it is Doris too ; Here to^rether heart to heart, Meet we who were torn apart % a foe, whose purpose fell Wrought on us a cruel spell, And from home and parents dear Bade us wander far and near." -^^ :;t riilliltS '"^ ^^^"^ '"-■■•• '^'Wie, peenn, '* Got many mushrooms ^ " r^^l^f^Jtu'J^''::,'';!''''.'''\''l^^y^ plenty about here. Look here," and she lite /hein''''', /"""'' ""^'^ '^ P'^'^y ""e. her friend. "'' '"' ^""' '^'^""'e'' 'he ^'ay mushroom to Poppie bent her head over ir in >.;i»„„ r said: " '" "''''"'"' for a moment, then she to me for a keepsake. Come, do." ^' "''""' ^'^^ '' But Doris hung her head ' " Why do you want it so much, Poppie ?" she asked. " Let 58 i t Willi I'KINTF.KSS FOOT. me take it home first, for I have never had a secret from Goody Bell, nor have I ever seen anythiiiir that I have not shown to her. I am sure that I could not sleep to-ni^'-ht if she knew nothing- of my findin^t,'- the embroidered mushroom." Poppie thought for a moment or two, and then, " It is because you are so very good that you feel that way?'* " I suppose so," said little Doris, humbly, for she feared that the ragged little girl did not admire her for being so good. But Poppie went on : '^f*" TMK MVSTKRV OV THK (IRKKNUOOD IRKK. 59 i;™™^': .»:■',,;; ■ ,:■„;- 7;',;™:;; ;;."'■ - -- _ Vou! oh, Poppie! Hij j-o,,, reallv?" promise ,h,„ when r in '''""^'•/"r' ^'^^^ " '" ^'oody, if vo„ h^'^'. you .ill',:?:: a,K x^- t;::""-, r-^'-^'^' "^•^■^.•-- ^- '" enough. , have :f.e„ wLhe asle 'p" rj fh': "',""7 r" too, when yo„ and Goody were h,e , ' '' , ' '""''"' '"• nearly fell off ,he sill to sU h ^ K 1 J'^^'"' '""' '^'"«'''"' 'i" ' Oh, I know vou In G o^ J ';::i '"^ ""^'^'^^ ■"''' ""' "-■-•^- ways. But i loye you n.l I , ^■""'' " '•'-'^"'"^■. luundrun, .iven o.enee. • M^:; ';z i,: t;,'' Z:::;'- f'™'^ -" -^- '- nn.sh,"zr:hi;:v"'as^,tr'' ''''^'''^' '--"-- --^ " No, replied the other y-lihK- " i :,,... . fell from the coat of a Tr,„ f I' J ■■ P'""''''' '' ''"""" •!'« When Pop"- t;,.e r.i iT'' ^t'''' T"-" very sensible, '::nd sL .new ttt ItTa's t'^Ju::! ;/:, ^ ""^ he>n,s of that kind in lonely places esoecialK^ h , ^'''^ Greenwood, which was so f^l of el'ves and f ,' '"•"'' '° '"^ quite a bad name. She only said! how!.:: '' ""' " ''''"' '■'' you find hereabouts, K^pL^^f fit; ;::'" "^ --■" ^^'-'s that At thrs Popple winked and laut^hed, and Doris ,.h it , , very much and felt sorry that her manne ^ ; it , '"-T away, and trudged alon, on her way home ' '"'"' In Goody Bell's little cabin, there was, of course no „n , • and the wnulow of Doris' bedroom was quite nel? to h^ On th,s n,,ht she fastened the white ct,Lin b^k^ ^d'tpCtt 6o WITH rKINTI.KSS FOOT. window wide, so thai it would bo easy to speak to Poppie when she came, and then she went herself to bed. She could not sleep, for feeli be* >f i{h\ that had sorry t>ecause ot sonK happened since she parted from her little friend at the mushroom patch, and she knew that she must tell this bad news to her. So she just laid still and waited. The stars were out when she leard the promised signal on the pane. "Oh, Poppie," she exclaimed, sitting up at once, 'Miave you come ? " " Yes," answered Poppie, '* Where is the mushroom ? Quick ! " "Oh, Poppie, I am so sorry, but neither of us can ever have the embroidered mushroom again. Whilst I went for the cows this evening, Goody Beli forgot what I told her of its being your mush- room, and she sold it along with the rest to the King's cook, who came wanting them for the King's breakfast. ' At this Poppie gave a little scream of dismay, and slid off the window ledge where she had been perched. Doris went to the win- dow. She had only on her little night-gown and night-cap, and the air was cool, but she did not mind, for she was afraid that Poppie was grieving for the loss of her gaudy mushroom. But when she looked out, the ragged little girl was only stand- ing quite still, and evidently thinking hard, with a very grave and startled face. It was strange to see Poppie standing on both feet at once, and not laughing in the least, and tha sight dismayed I^oris. " Oh, what is the matter, Poppie?" she said. " Matter enough," replied the other, "that mushroom was 'i toadstool, as anybody might know, and it will poison anyone who eats it." Doris screamed. " Whist," said Poppie rudely, "You will waken the old woman, TIIK MVSTIiKV Ol THK CRKKNWOOI) IREK. 6l and o ne i)f \oii is acldetl when she saw that Do quite enou^rh. Qh, you are well you, know so little. W ns seemed hurt, '* Hut \ enouj^^h," she oil, the best thin^r for nie to d \ou, both of to town, and somehow, bv hook or I o IS to run orsel before the Ki n^r cats it. j silly as to let you have that toadstool at'all turned, i t It wasn't reall\- mii n crook, ^ct hold of this t is my fault after all, for bein.ir so " \'ou see," she con- woman whom I know, called Held ue. I hey make them in my hom« and a put mto her kettle of broth. SI ime Hlearv, wanted th IS one to that she dutr from th le raised it herself from you, and Poppie wat^'-i'ed her hr e earth, and pretty deep down too, I seei went on. H'cause It was so planted it there, and I watched can tell m; knowinjrly. " I took it," she p;etty, a id I wanted you to see it. I i t Oh, Ponn ppie, sai d I) •o I whist you picked it. from a button which oris. 1 1 !;"i \'ou sowed ! a you told nie that you raised it Well, what if I did?" d plant such a Initto n emanded the wild little girl, " I may m ay grow from it ? So it some day, tor 1 have one, and who knows what all that ; the business stool before it kills the Kin^-, for I was quite true after all. Hut never mind have always loved the Ki on hand just now is to get back that toad- cannot explain it, Doris, but I you. ng just in the same way that I lovi It And I, too," declared D IS very strange, for I have neve oris, " I have always loved him, also. before this harm h, r seen hi m, ippeiis to him Go in haste, Poppie, And without more ado, Poppie took to her heels and way to the town sped her N ow, the King of that Cv)unti story, indeed ; his wife summer day, years befor grief and anxiety had so told on h >' was mad. His was a very sad ;ind two babes had vanished away one e, and had never been heard of again, and im that he was now a mental 62 " WITH PKINTI.KSS FOOT. wreck, and lived alone in a room at the top of a very his^h tower. He had many palaces, but he preferred this residence, because he could, from so loft) a hei,o-ht, keep a constant look-out for the missini»- ones for whom every newspaper in the town was adver- tisini»-. The only occupation that interested him was correctin^^ the printers' proofs o( these, and some people said that this pursuit had a great deal to do w'ith his madness ; but you cannot remon- strate with a king, and so he just took his own way. He had also one solace, which was nothing else than the affection shown to him by a magnificent cat, which had appeared in the royal kitchen on the day when the queen and her babes so mysteriously dissappeared. This cat attracted a great deal o\' attention, both because of the king's favour for her, and because she wore on her left paw a gold band, which, many said, looked just like the wedding-ring of her late majesty, while around her neck was a very handsome collar, which the king had fastened with his own best collar-button. On account of these adornments, people spoke of this animal as the JewePed Cat. Beside:? all this, it was really a very fine cat, with a snow-white coat of the silkiest fur ever seen. It was nearly daybreak when Poppie arrived at the kng's kitchen door, but early as it was, the cook was astir and had kindled her fire. She had just finished sweeping the litter oi' shavings which she had made, out over the steps, when she noticed, standing there, the rag-ged and sunburned little girl. The cook was kind-hearted enough, but she did not like very well to encourage strangers about the premises for fear of anarchists and dynamite, so she was about to close the door ag-ain wht i :' ppie whined piteously : "Oh, please give me a bit of bread. I have had nothing but cake for days." The cook had looked pitiful at the commencement of this speech, but she burst out a-laughing when she heard it all. THK MYSTKRV OK THE CKKKNWOOD IRKE. 63 '' You're not very badly off for a beggar, cbild," she said, - if too much sweets is all that you complain of. Still you don't look over heart)', so come in and get a bit of bread." So into the kitchen Poppie went, where the King's big white cat with the gold ring and jewelled collar, watched the crackling hre. The good-natured woman brought from the pantry a bowl of milk and a loaf of bread, which, when the little girl saw, what did she do but throw her ragged apron over her head and sob and cr) as though her heart would break. Of course the cook enquired what the matter was, and Poppie stopped her weeping long e-ough to reply that her family physician had forbidden her to eat anything in the morning unless a mushroom formed part of the meal. " It is to counteract my tendency to grow," she explained. ''Dear Suz ! " said the cook, "I would havc thought that a mushroom must act just the other way. They beat all to grow, you know, and are as big as they will ever be by sunrise." '* Like cures like," said Poppie. y Sure enough, so I've heard," said the cook, "but I'm afraid that you will ^o without your breakfast, for mush- rooms are too scarce for me to be giving them away to beggars, and the King only yesterday asking for them. Get out Puss, let the child alone." (This the cook said because the cat was acting very strangely indeed, walking round and round Poppie as though greatly excited). -You see, child," she continued, -it was his own fancy. I was glad enough to hear the poor man say that he hankered after anything at all, so when he came into the kitchen and said: ' Mrs. Cook, will you send an aide-de-camp to the fields to search for some mushrooms, fori think that I could eat them,' I was glad enough, and I said, ' Please your majesty, I'll go myself, for the aides-de-camp and the military generally are no use without a band,' and before he left the kitchen, J had on nv black 64 i( WITH FRfNTLIiSS FOOT. -s.lk bon„et and was starting ot,t at that door, and as good-luck would have ,t I came upon a little cabin where lived an otl womln w^ho w-as as pleased as pleased could be to sell me a small pailful of as pretty mushrooms as ever I saw, and if 1 only had a nice new tin o cook them ,n, 1 would serve a lovely dish of them for the King's breakfast. ivm^ a -Oh, well ma'am," said Poppie, " 1 will go, for fear that if 1 stay ,onger. the bread and ntilk may tempt me to disobedience." And she lifted the latch and walked away Once out of sight of the cook, however, she dropped her melan- choly an- and gomg „, all haste to a secluded cornc'r behind some urrant bushes she bathed her face and hands in the dew which a th,s hour ay th.ckly on the grass, all the time saying over and ove ." an mulertone, strange words that very few have ever heard, and none care to repeat. Kver and ar.on she ca.ne back ,o a refrain that ran : " To other face and other form Let me now this spell transform." chnt-^'" '''"'" '"'''"^'' "'■''""''' "^ she wrought, a marvellous change c.mie over her ; you could not tell in w-hat moment it happen- ed, but the ragged, bright-eyed little Poppie disappeared altogither, ..nd ,n her place was an odd-looking man with a pack on his back wh.ch jn,gled and rattled so that you could easily guess that it held This pedlar went and rapped at the kitchen door, and when the cook opened it he said : . ,''''^"''','^'^'' '""'"' '""'"'"' ^"«''" "'"' ""''' »'" ^"'■'^ penny; hright kettles and dippers, and tin plates, and pans for cooking mushroonis ■n -twelve for a penny, ma'am, if you buv them now ; and I will come and help you cook the King's breakfast in them. Will ^ou buy them, ma'.im, twenty-four mushroom pans for a penny s " ' THE MV.ST,.:rv ok the OKEKNVVOOn TREE g three tinu-s in a bread ' h ,' ""L"' ^""' "^«^ 1"--^ cha„,.U " '^''"'"-Mhen,.adVyo:rt: iT' "''^'" >-' ='- - I'll call the Ki,u/.s ;a,a,-cls ■ ""'''-' '^"•^'^ ''way fro,,, he,., .^oods. , have „o ti^ t he hSetd b:""t '^ ''''" '^-' -"'-' before „,e the job of e.nb.oide , ' "m .J "' T '""' """' ' l^-- ■he patter,, one. Come away P.,s w.'""k ''"""'■'^ "^ '°"'^- "'^•^ -.. to be .0 ready to ta.e to e^J;':::-,, J^,^5 "^ - over the h-e.s. t it;::;;::'T;rd-r'^'f .^^•■'- "'^' -'-- tered to hiniself as he did so • „, iH . '" ''^"■' «'"• '"'"- and in his place arose a ne-.t 'S r ' "' '''"'"^"^ fr""' -^i^ht her hand a workbaj.. ' ""'''"■''' -'"P^ress, who ca,Tied ul .-e e„,,_, with"L'r"'en,:;X"-^"'^'- ''''''''' ''' "-^ '^ ^ .hin,b,:■ ■■"• -^ -^in^^a Cook, and there is nothi, . , !,(? 'T '" '''^' '^'""'' ' ^'^'^. M-. "Wen. if that's the 1 e ', ^ r:;';^,"""'*-',.'^" '""-^hrocns." ;von,an, d,-awi,,g a chair ove,- for er it^r "'r'' "'" "^"^ ^-^ lomed to a needle myself and I h- '- '" '"" """•"h accus- .he way I have been bot 'e.e L bZ,' '"''\'"^''-' '^ ->■ -'»hin^ of " Leave them to me ' v H th ' " ^ ' "'"' "■''^" ""'•'■ •he time you have the peppe an tlTfefrr "'"^'"^">' " ''"^ ^v they will all be ready to yo . ha,,d ^''' "'" '''' ^-'"^"'^ heated. 66 t ( WITH I'RINTIJiSS FOOT. And she stitched busily, whilst the Jewelled Cat purred dose beside her, and the cook stirred her fire and set her g-riddle over the coals. But when the honest woman went into the pantry for the thin^rs that she needed, the sempstress flunir her needle aside, and quick as a thoutr-ht, slipping- the pattern mushroom into her pocket, jumped out of the window and ran away as nimbly as you please. And much the strangest thing about her flight was' that out of the window after her sprang the King's cat, and the sempstress was going so fast that at first she never noticed that she was followed, and in the cook's vexation at the turn taken by events, she failed also to observe it for many hours, and then it was a great deal too late, as Puss was nowhere to be seen. Now, as may be supposed, the Jewelled Cat was quite a fa- vourite in the town, and the cook was not at first uneasy, for she said : "Some one will be sure to fetch her back, when they see the King-'s collar-button." But no one brought her, and as the collar-button was one of the crown jewels, there was a great hue and cry when the loss got about. The radical newspapers made great things out of it, saying that the King had no business to make a plaything of the collar-button, as it really belonged to the nation, and, of course, there was something in what they said, and the affair actually did shake the throne more than it ought. The parliament took it up, and was quite as hard on the cook as on the King, so that the poor creature one day put on her shawl and bonnet, and set out to see if she could not discover the King's lost pet. She tried to remember all that had happened on the day when the cat strayed, and, of course, the mushrooms came into her mind at once, and she said : ** There might be no harm in going to the old woman who sold THE MYSTERY OF THE GREENWOOD TREE. ^7 There, in the dot t ■ ^T G X bS^'" ■''■''''' ''■'' ''^^ ^-- the step and knitted. ^ ' ^P'""'"*-'' ""^ '-^"ris sat on ' -sii'd?i,rd ,t;::e^:;;;,?7r;,' ■^•"'' f '-■""'^ p-"'"^'- "^='>- way," and she uent I to t e h 3' si I" '^''^^r "'^' '''" '^^"^' IXiris placed for her. ""'' '"''' "^'^ ^h^i"- "hid. soid"re:"sor'w:z Trtn;, ''""''• -v'^ "■^■" ""• -'h- -u very fine' one wis t i i 'o' '\"' "w n' T'-^'"^^'"^' =""' '^- undertake to trim theJh^l ?r , , ^''"' "''"' '""^' ' J« but task was by Te t nd ir" H '" '""' "'^ "^"' *^^>' °-' -"^ '^e -e too. for she juTt\:and ™ the'""*-' "'""^'"'^^ "''^'^ '^'^'P^'^ takin,. the pattern wit 'h „: he mi,;" ""b tYh'^"' "'^^ "'"'^-''• that what with the vex„lo,w ,.'"""'• ^"' '^e worst of it was, hein^ bothered :;h™ :LitX?or t ''^^T''r'''^^>■• ^"'^ "^ three, counting the semnft^ssT ? ' '^'"' "° '^^^^ '^an cat, and she hfs never be'e^ncrthtr^^ ?'" "" '"'"^^'^ wears the Kint/s coll-,, h » "^V ^^'' ""'' *™''^' °f ail, she though no one ete'i: H " ^' '"' ^"'^'"'^ "edding- i„g, any/ay, and such ,," asTh '''?""' "' '"■ ^^"- ^^ '^e i's c-y. And that sX I > her "■; T 't.^'""^'" '" '"'"^^ ^'^ then another for Puss TlL ' ' '^'•^' '""1^""*^ "' ''"e place and harbouring the anim d f '' ™" "'""'''^ '" "'^'-'^ '- whoever is offence is'c led '";„?;,;:: ' , """^""'^ "^ "^'^ "-- Jewels, the tell you. Well • r ;; se "'''^" "'" '•= P--"'^ ^^^' ' -" he,-eabouts?" " " •''"' ""^■"^'"*^- "^ '^e Jewelled Cat, Goody Bell was able to answer straightway that she never had seen 68 it WITH PRINTLESS FOOT. even a hair of such a cat, but little Doris hung her head, and laying her knitting down, got up from the step and walked away by herself. " What is the matter with the child ?" ^sked the cook sharply. •' Oh, nothing," replied Goody ; '* she i as moped a good deal of late, but there is no need to worry about her, for she is so good a child that she has never in her life been in any scrape at all, and she never knows anything that she does not tell to me." '* Humph," said the cook, "sometimes that sort get into the worst scrapes of all. In the meantime little Doris had taken her way to the place where the mushrooms grew. There were tears on her cheeks, and she looked very unhappy as she walked. When she reached the spot, she shaded her eyes, and looked on all sides for her little friend. But, except the field mice and chipmunks *..; sparrows, nothing living was in sight. Then she looked at the da^k wood. It was very dismal in there, and besides, Doris had heau! so many strange tales of odd creatures who haunted its shade-, that it really was no wonder if she were titnid about entering. But she plucked up all her courage, for she had a purpose before her, and with as brave a front as she could put on winle her heart trembled, she walked in beneath the thick and spreadiui^ boughs. The dry leaves rustled under iier feet, and little twigs snapped as she stepped on them ; birds twittered overhead, and squirrels peeped from hiding places at her ; and every Kttle sound made her start and quake as though she were doing something naughty, which, indeed, was not at all the case, as her reason for being in the wood at this time, at all, was to do a kindness to Poppie. No Poppie did she meet however, and she bethought herself pre- sently that she must call her name. It seemed very awful in that dark and lonely place to hear her own scared little voice, sounding shrilly in the stillness. THK MYSTERY OF THK GRKHNWOOD TREK. 69 " Poppie, Poppie," she cried. She would stop every little while and repeat the crv, and then listen but there was never any response, and she onlyVot deeper and deeper into the wood. ^ ' At len^rth, she came to an open space where uere no trees This ynce ^v•as c;rcular, and the i^rass that i^rew upon it was of a more v.v.d ^reev. than Doris had ever see.i before, while it was bounded by a v.ide nng of a darker shade. The whole appearance of the spot would have warned an older and wiser person not to linirer there. ** " O'er all there hun,i>- the shadow of fear ; A sense of mystery the spirii daunted, And said, as plain as whisper in the ear, The place is haunted."* The very good, especially if they are also voung, are not susp.c.ous of evil, however, and as Doris stepped 'gladly upon the pretty sward, she only thought how nice it was. In the verv centre of the green ring stood a tall tree-trunk. It bore no lea;es, and looking upward, the little girl saw that it was withered and dead. The bark had fallen off it long before. Well, as Doris gazed up to Its summit, what of all things should she see but a head, suddenlv appearing as though its owner were inside the tree, which, indeed turned out to be the case, for the very next moment the sharp shoulders and soiled apron, and torn skirts of Poppie herself came to view. She looked into the upturned face of little Doris, and then whistled loud and long. Poppie was undoubtedly a very ill-bred child '' Oh, comedown, Poppie," cried good Doris, - I have come to tell you something dreadful, and there is no time to lose." ^'Somebody looking for the cat, I suppose," rejoined Poppie, * Hood. 70 i i WITH I'KIXTLKSS FOOT.' coolly. - Well, how do ihey propose to find her? Tell me that, will you ?" "Oh, iVppie," said Doris, piteously, '» it is Treason, and the upshot will be- " '* What is Treason," demanded Poppie, interruptedly. "Oh, harbouring cats, I suppose," wailed Doris. " I dont like that about the Upshot," remarked Poppie, after a pause, "and so I won't stay longer in sight. You better come up here to me, and I will take you down to where I live in Downbolo. They did not say anything about a Downshot, did they ? " she asked anxiously. " iNo," replied Doris, - I don't think so, but I cannot ^o up there to you." ** * You see Doris was so good that she had never tried to climb a tree m her lite, and as this was a very difficult one to begin with, the situation was a grave one, for she very much desired to reach Poppie and show her how dangerous it was, as well as wrong, to have the royal cat in her possession. But how to get up was the question. It was solved by Poppie herself, who was looking nervously about for policemen armed with guns pointed upwards at her, for she had never before heard the word - upshot." and mis-understood It. She now called impatiently: "Make haste, I believe I hear them. Come close to the tree, and right down there in the moss at its foot you can see a bird's nest. It looks empty, but lift its lining and you will find a key." Doris did as she was told, and, sure enough, under the silky down that lined the deserted nest, lay a curious looking crooked key. This she took, and Poppie, whose head was hanging as far as was safe over the edge of the tree, called to her to fit it into the keyhole. Doris walked slowly around the great withered trunk looking vainly for any sign of a door. TMK AFYSTERV OF THK ORKHNVVOOI) KKK. "What are you doinjr:." called Poppie, sharply " C,,,-, vo„ see -he ke,holes, any nn.nber of then aMov.:.- the tree' r ' pecko .nade"' "'f 1 " ', ""r^'" ""'■'^'-~ '''''' "''••" "- "-"1- no7Ztl , "' '" "■"';• "'' '"""-'^ ^'"'"•' -^-ib- This action was .^tiufh ■''''; r:""'' '^"" ""P*-"'^''' ''>' "'^ "P-'-*^' "f =• door, unk n h ' "r " '""^'^ '■'"'' "'"' "^^ appearance of the dry unk, a Ih^hi of steps becomin,,. st.ddenly visible. They were abom u h,le here and there jjaps occurred. 1 1 was such a stairway who fir^t puttMig the key nuo her pocket, at once bejfan the ascent p" .'2""' '""'""" "•"■'• =""^ ^■""'" "-• "■-■ 'he reac : the OLdly over her slowness, and what she called her stimiditv in tadn,«- to find the keyhole for herself. ^tupicntv , ,n side"^v': ^°" '''• '^"?'"-''" ''^^ '^'"^' ^■^'" ^he finallv reached her keyhole. "' " " ^" ""''=""' '™"^ ""■■ ""-• ^^ ^ave only one Poppie stared. And'Tr d' f' "^''; "^'^='' '-^ '^'' "- "f -vinir keyholes? ^^>:2r:d"wuh'ke';:£::.'^^- ^"" ^-' «-" -'^-^ ^<^---J- -^be As she was so positive, Doris did not like to say more, and fol- lowed her down the inside of the tree in silence. The ! ep were much better there which was a very good thin,, as l^!^ ^Z ?ote I T '"^'P """''"■"'^' "^^^ 'hey would be 'able lady. '"''' "•"^" ''-' '-'' ''""■"■ 'f ■' -- - *r'oo-y Just before they reached the bottom, Poppie waited for her com- 72 it Wrni I'RINTLKSS FOOT." panion to come up with her, and I;i\ iiiK^ a vvarnin^^r fin^rer on Horis' arm, she whispered : " Now, keep quiet. If you do not speak to anvhody, it is not hkely that anyhody will speak to you. And don't he fri^rhtened if Heldame Bleary, the Witch, sciis you. Just vou hold fast hy me But if you are sensible, it is not likely that she or ;.- , one else will notice us. " And Poppie tossed her wild little head, and quite swaK>.^ered as she stepped down into a vast, and badlv lighi.d chamber. It was Kd of stir; groups of little woodmen, whom Doris knew only too well to be Brownies, were seated about in groups, busily en' ig^u some in stripping the bark from the limbs of trees that lay on the earthen floor, others in removing the outer husks from nuts, while some were filling pillow-cases with pine needles. And such a hubbub as there was I Poppie might well have -aid that they could easilv escape notice, that is, if there had beu. none about but these noisy and mischievous little gnomes. But, unfortunately, there were many more. There were grimy men with hoofs who piled fuel on the huge bonfires, whose flames cast an uneven glare over the s.ene. Curious little beings sat crossed-legged in rows, stitching at mush- rooms and toadstools. Great, gaunt specii s floated about like shadows on the wall, and it was very difficult, indeed, for Doris to keep from screaming when their sad eyes were fixed on her. And weird-looking huntsmen were seated apart, polishing their bugle horns. And there were also pretty fays with wings, who add* \ to the confusion by flying excitedly about, although .ese were .cally quite idle. And above all the din, could be heard the roaring and crackling of the fires. Doris remembered storit that Goody Bell ^ad told her of robbers' caves in far-off lands where the police are not up to the mark, and she wondered much to think what a dreadud home her little friend Poppie had. \ n oris it is not [ened if hy me. .'Ise will fered as It was •nly too on tlic >, while hubbub J easil\- e nois\' e were fuel on ; Sv'ene. mush- iit like )oris to And buirlc ld( 1 to : ically n^*" and ;ell )ad ire not readiul THK MVSTKRV ,n I HK c;KKKNWOOn TRKK. She fo I lowed \\ 7.^ opp.e now as quickh :s she could, and they ey threaded their way an.on^ the nunlev wd. Now and then to her mouth, when a have we hei,'-' Vf..;.i m ', "7." •""■""""= "Ha, ha, whom htu. Ma.d Maruu,, by all that'.s funny!" Or, a flyinj. iieen UuJ^ru^^-r'::^"' ''''' "'' '""^ '^^ '"-"'. when a J,rcen HmUsman s.mcI, as she „p.,oecl past him : '• Ha, ha, wh. fay, whose foot was caught In one of the little girls flaxen ,.„ls, peered cunous^v ,nto her eyes, and at once be^an to sin; a .n .t e-oody Bell was made to rhynu. with '.speii," and Doris 74 t i vvrrn I'RrNTLESs foot. remenibcred that Poppie had once siiiig- a sol^^ that liad tliis fcatiiiv also. However, at present it seemed to anno\ Poppie very much, pri>bably because it mi^>-ht draw atteiitit>n, and she detached the fairy from Ooris' hair quickly, and sent it otT with a slap. " Walk faster," she said. " We are K^^ini,*- to my own little den, and we have to pass Beldame Bleary. She /s wicked, let me tell you ! Keep close to me." And sure enouj^h, at the next turn they came up<'i a most ui^-ly woman, who sat upon a three-legged stool, close to a fire, over which hun^^i; a huge pot, which she stirred, inuttering to herself as she did so, and throwing in herbs from a heap at her side. She h.id great teeth that showed themselves cruell) . Her hands wore hard and bony, and her hooked nose looked like the beak of some fierce bird. She had the hood of her cloak drawn over her head. She stopped her stirring and muttering when the little girls came up, and roughly bade I'oppie to stand, while her evil eye fixed upon the shivering little Doris, and nearly froze her with terror. Said the witch, hoarsely : "Whom is it thou bringest here To this darksome den of fear ? Who so heedless that would know The grim Cavern Downbolo ? Burn my fire, and pottage boil, Recompense me for my toil." As she addressed the fire and the bubbling broth, she shook the embers fiercely, and stirred the pot with the thick pudding-stick which she grasped. Sparks from the fire flew in all directions, and Doris shrank back, which made the hag croak more fiercely than before : THK 75 •MVSTKKV 0\ niK uKKKNUOOM IKi.i;. "Sparks shall fly, and llamos shall Uio, ^ Livo aj^r.iin, .ind tinu- out-vie, Ere you vvaiuier froni this place Or behold a mortal face. Riirn my Hre and potta^>e boil, Recompense me for my toil." Poppk. ^.ave , liul. scream, and selzinj. hold of Doris' arm she hand that I'opp,. was afraid, !,„( ,he hold li„le ^ki spoke up as sharply as ever : s 1 ^ "P as "This is but a new disjfuise of one of the fays.' she said. " who is K'ot up .o look hke Goody Mells foster ehild. It is a trick which we mean to pl.-iy on the morrow. " " Plot me no plots, the fire burns, I hu pottajre hoils, my venjjeance yearns : The mother and her children twain Shall in this chaldron meet again ! Burn my fire, and pottage boil. Recompense me for my toil." As she finished croaking this fearful song, she darted her long, skmny arn, and had almost seized Doris, who was now shrieking w,th affnght But Poppie was too c,uick for the hag, and, darting forward hm almost over-tt.rned the huge pot by thrusting into Tt one of the bla.n,g faggots. This caused the wicked wontan to turn her attention to saving her horrible broth, and with a shrill and trumiphant lat.gh Poppie fled, dragging Doris after her. I hey ran until they found them.selvcs in a smaller and darker 1 ■ * i *i »M «M t W -. I f^el as though I 77 er way here, e most hate, e ever loved is th er up. Come now and canru-)t I^ e most beautiful and the w oris vvofidered very much to hear } see if you do not love her too. Sh* isest and the best thin^r that lives." va^'-ant a manner of a cat, even if Puss did oppie speak in so extn w, ear jewels, but she fol- The place in vvhiel, ihe Ki,,,/s eat was eonfinecl was a s,„all eell er,c,, e,.e,u M-on, .he hn,.,, and cheeH.I .ia-he,. .hid, si 'orsaken, \o„ uonlcl expeet her ,o he c|ui,e „„happv aho.U the ehanjre ,„ lu-r CMv.imstanees, Inn, on the eonirnv .1, ,,, ,1,., ,r , '•'"""• '-""■i<'i>. She came piinirur '^Z :";;■' '"!'' ''""^~^' '" "•'•>• *-'""'' N^inls indeed. bird', ^s't rt T^' "'•' '";■> -■ '"-1 ""•• key that lies in the Dial s nest ! It will open anv door at all." h-.^div V "''k ',''":. '"■ ' '""' ^"■^'*>- '"''• ^'^ "'-i' "-« ' -' naraiy wait to kiss her. r..shcJ ,n. I iK-y hnj.«-ed Pnssy ,o their hearts content uhile in every way possible to a ea,, she tried to show her de,i,,ht i,! ll-i': matin'r'' Il'''^'''',"''^\."'^'^' •'" '^ — • -" ^hor, in a verv awful ma„K,. Sounds o sonteone contin.^. thron^'h the narrow passa^re CO d eas, y have been heard, hut they were so n.nch taken up with 1 uss thai they pa,d „o attention to anything, else. The lirst echo of Beldame I^leary s dreadful soiur : 78 ( t WITH I'KIXTKKSS FOOT. " The mother and her children twain Within the pot sliall meet a^i^'-ain." Doris shrieked, the cat arched her back, while her eyes ^»-lowed like the eyes of a tij^J-ress when its cubs are threatened. But clever Poppie, brio-jn and quick as ever, spran,i,»- to the door, bani^ed it shut, and locked it with the maj^ical key. To the g-ratin^tr came the Witch, and oh, how she yelled and how uselessly she shook the door! And safe behind the bars stood Foppie on one \c^, and lauirhed and sani>- : " Spare, oh Beldame, spare your ire ; Better ^o and mend your fire ! " The words seemed to su^>-gest a horrid thou,trht to the Witch, and she laui^hed a lauj^rh that made the blood run cold. " F'ire and flame with blood-red g\o\v Mav enter where I cannot iro. In deepest vaults of Downbolo." And when she had uttered these dark words, she turned and took her way back as she had come. For an instant Poppie considered, then as the full meaning*- of the Witch's song became plain to her, she screamed. It seemed to Doris very awful to see Poppie, who was usually so brave and skil- ful, thus quite overcome v ith fright, and she clasped her own little hands and shivered. "Doris, Doris," shrieked Poppie, '*she has gone for fire to thrust in here upon us ! "' " Let us unlock the door and run," exclaimed Doris. And this they would have done had it not been for the Jewelled Cat, who thrust herself Detween them and the door, and standing up on her THE MVSTKRV OF THE GREENWOOD TREE. ^^ no easy matter for the little .rirls i., discover i, K .he dark, and c„ick alnK«t\s lillln ^p" , '^ ^^^^^^^^ lK.si,a,ed to ,nove. " Cy be eved h t " I "', '"" '• "' '"' '^'' safety. ^ nUieved thai the door was their only Just then came the Witch pantinu alony dratr ?.'"*-' ^^^' '^^'-■'' ''^"'' " ""'<-' g-'- to co,ne with 0'^ sLm " r'^^' " "^" ' "">■ ''^" ^-^^ Bell f^oppie as^ain." ' ""''■"'' ''^"^'"^ >""^ -"'-" "^^ be parted from And to Goody Belis cabin they went The olH standing m the dooruav when fh,.,- "'""''''" »■"'■" for Doris had been ,,one mu h ' "', '" ""''' ''"'P'"^ ^' ""le, The ^ood little ,v;,:a:rhe,-:"' ""' '''''''' "-^'-^ '-y ----• • -'<'h-isX?aT;t:ho-Wh;;'^ •^"'' not ht,rt at an. But the old won,.; d,; ?'h,^:rj;'"/ -■ -' '^f '^ownbolo.- crc.,ned lady, she had hast, ed forw.r! Ind" "' '"' ;'*='" '"" ^'^ ;' It is the lost Qneen." she s.id. ' •""" ''''"'''''' ^"^^^ '-■ Yes, replied the beaiitifnl lady " it is th. n rescued from nameless misery u.dL, J , u ^""'"' '"^^'•''">- my two dear children Yo'^r '' h « m ■ '" ""' *""^ '""">'^"t to haye sheltered my Zj^lr^^^ ^t ''1! ''''''''' '"" ^'"• our happiness, for you canl,:; Hrher^Xr^VoV':: n-^'"^^ home in the Palace " ^"'^^' have a entered the town and fn l! ^^ , u '^'^'^''"' ■'""' ^"ody Bell entrance of the Towe,- 'd ^ I "u"?'" """^'^'' "P '" 'l^e ^^^ief Kin,^ who, f,om his i Til'V tT '^ '^ ''"' "^■- '^e so excited, that he forp^ hi r '''^'' '"'" '^^'" ^"•"«''' "as o" the ha;,nister,;i::j; ; L r:- i,rt r''^" ''- -"-'^ -'^ Ho,ne Secretary, whose oflice it ^J ! "P"" " '"•"'''^"•'^ 'he ti-. .hat is kn^^wn ^r f naV : h-u His M ''" '^''''- ^^"^ reason in that honr and th ■ . H,s Majesty recovered his han,net that was h;id, l^!^ : :;' .tnia!:: *^ :*, ^ f ^" ^'^ ^^^ -J-..1I.!.,. ,^, everyone iiie mys- 82 " WITH PRINTLKSS FOOT.'* teries that had so thickly clun^ about his household. It was all so very wonderful that there were no more speeches, each man lookinj^r at his nei^iJfh hours, open-eyed and open-mouthed, and exclaimiui*- " Well, I never ! " or " Did you ever ! " And all the soldiers went next day to search for that awful place called Downbolo, with orders to fell the tree, and dit^ down and utterly destroy all that they found, but they never found anythinic, not even when the you*'^ Princesses Poppia and Dorinda accom- panied them. No si^n nc trace of the magic green ring or the hollow tree was ever discovered, any more than the opening in the ground, by which the Queen and her children had (Miierged into the day. But the royal family lived happily ever after. so ace \nd »m- the the the