hide yourselves, and if it comes again, catch it and wring its neck."

He spitted a third goose, lit a huge fire, and seated himself by it.

The bird appeared a third time, and said: "Goodmorning, my fine cook."

"Good-morning, lovely golden bird,” replied the cook, nothing had happened, and at the moment that Heaven that it may

the canary was beginning,

66

pray

send," a scullion who was hidden outside rushed out and shut the shutters. The bird flew into the kitchen. Then all the cooks and scullions sprang after it, knocking at it with their aprons. At length one of them caught it just at the very moment that Tubby entered the kitchen, waving his sceptre. He had come to see for himself why the goose had never made its appear

ance.

The scullion stopped at once, just as he was about to wring the canary's neck.

MA

CHAPTER XV.

ILL some one be kind enough to tell me the meaning of all this?" cried the lord of Avesnes.

"Your excellency, it is the bird," replied the scullion, and he placed it in his hand. "Nonsense! What a lovely bird!" said Tubby, and in stroking its head he touched a pin that was sticking between its feathers. He pulled it out, and lo! the canary at once became a beautiful girl with a golden skin who jumped lightly to the ground.

"Gracious! what a pretty girl!" said Tubby.

"Father! it is she! it is Zizi!" exclaimed Désiré, who entered at this moment.

And he seated himself solemnly on the oven, and condemned Titty to be burned alive. After which the lords and cooks formed themselves in lines, and Tubby betrothed Désiré to Zizi.

CHAPTER XVI.

HE marriage took place a few days later. All the boys in the country side were there, armed with wooden swords, and decorated with epaulets made of gilt paper.

Zizi obtained Titty's pardon, and she was sent back to the brick-fields, followed and hooted at by all the boys. And this is why to-day the country boys always throw stones at a titmouse.

On the evening of the wedding-day all the larders, cellars, cupboards, and tables of the people, whether rich or poor, were loaded as if by enchantment with bread, wine, beer, cakes and tarts, roast larks, and even geese, so that Tubby could not complain any more that his son had married Famine.

Since that time there has always been plenty to eat in that country, and since that time, too, you see in the midst of the fair-haired blue-eyed women of Flanders a few beautiful girls, whose eyes are black and whose skins are the color of gold. They are the descendants of Zizi.

THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS

BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM.

GOLD

HERE was once a poor woman who was very happy when her little son was born, for it was prophesied that in his nineteenth year he should marry the king's daughter. It happened very soon after that the king came to the village, but no one knew that it was the king. So when he asked for news they told him that a few days before a child had been born of whom it was prophesied that he would be very lucky. Indeed, it had been said that in his nineteenth year he would have the king's daughter for his wife.

The king, who had a wicked heart, was very angry when he heard this; but he went to the parents in a most friendly manner, and said to them kindly, "Good people, give up your child to me. I will take the greatest care of him."

At first they refused; but when the stranger offered them a large amount of gold, and then mentioned that if their child was born to be lucky everything must turn out for the best with him, they willingly at last gave him up.

The king placed the child in a box and rode away with it for a long distance, till he came to deep water,

into which he threw the box containing the child, saying to himself as he rode away: "From this unwelcome suitor have I saved my daughter."

But the box did not sink; it swam like a boat on the water, and so high above it that not a drop got inside. It sailed on to a spot about two miles from the chief town of the king's dominions, where there were a mill and a weir, which stopped it, and on which it rested.

The miller's man, who happened to be standing near the bank, fortunately noticed it, and thinking it would most likely contain something valuable, drew it on shore with a hook; but when he opened it, there lay a beautiful baby, who was quite awake and lively.

He carried it in to the miller and his wife, and as they had no children they were quite delighted, and said Heaven had sent the little boy as a gift to them. They brought him up carefully, and he grew to manhood clever and virtuous.

It happened one day that the king was overtaken by a thunderstorm while passing near the mill, and stopped to ask for shelter. Noticing the youth, he asked the miller if that tall young man was his son.

"No," he replied; "he is a foundling. Nineteen years ago a box was seen sailing on the mill stream by one of our men, and when it was caught in the weir he drew it out of the water and found the child in it."

Then the king knew that this must be the child of fortune, and therefore the one which he had thrown into the water. He hid his vexation, however, and presently said kindly, "I want to send a letter to the queen, my wife; if that young man will take it to her I will give him two gold-pieces for his trouble."