A Story rop Crirnrey,

[TALIAN.

FROM THI

WIS Kine of Terra lLonga had | an only son, who was the apple of his cve, and on whom he built all his hopes. e felt he was Srowing an old man, and the areat de- sire of his life was to see his son happily marricd before he died. But, unfor- tunatelv, the voung Prince was of q very different mind, and if a woman Wi as much as mentioned in his presence, he got up and left the room, and refused (o come back till the conversation had turned on somce other subject.

Neither his father's tears and entreatics, nor the counsel and advice of the states- men and courtiers round the King's throne,

would make him consider the subject of

matrimony. Byt nothing happens so often s the unexpected, and o mere trifle will change the history of nations. One day, as the Prince was cutting a cream tart in half and attending more to the conversation that was coing on than to what he was doing, he cut his finger with his knife. The blood spurted out and fo]] on the cream, and the mixture of colour Was so beautiful that the Prince was scized on the

spot with the desire to find a wile with a complexion like the cream and blood. e said to the King : “ Dcar father, if T do not ind a bride who is red an.l white like this, then it is all over with N, Hitherto no woman has cver caused my heart a sinele lutter, but new I long for this red and white matden, as T have never longed for anything in my life before, Permit me, Ltherefore; to go in scarch of my tdeal, for it T do not find her T oshall die”

At first his father was much startled and aricved at his words, and tricd hared Lo dissuade his son from setting out on such o futile journcey, but when he saw that his ramonstrances were of no avail, and that he might as well have spoken to the winds, he said @ Go, iy son, sinee vour heart is so seton the journey ; take moncy and what- cver clse vou desire with you, and hasten back with all speed to vour poor father. who il be disconsolate (il vou return.”

So the Prince set out on his travels, and wandered through ficlds and woods, over mountains and through valleys, visiting different countries and nations, always keeping his eyes open for the maiden of his drcams. But he sought in vain, for though he Teft no stone unturncd, nowhere could he find the blooming imagc he had painted N his mind’s cye. Irom kingdom to kingdom he roamed, and at last he care to the Island of the Wild Women,

Here he mer an old dame whe was as P