212 1H1I

but when she came to the well, and once more saw the lovely rcllection there, she heaved a deep sigh and said, T will no longer be a slave, for [ am not ugly as | have always thought I was; on the con- trary, I am lovely and charming, and 1t 15 ridiculous that [ should be made to fetch witer from the well V7 AWiath these words she broke the jug mto a hundred picu‘\‘ and when she got home she told her mistress that a donkey Tad passed by, and had kicked the jue and broken it to pieces.

When the woman heard about this fresh accident she lost her temper, and, scizing a broom, she beat the girl to within an inch of her life, then handing her a leather bottle she said, “ Now go as quickly as you can, vou uscless creature, and bring me back the bottle full of water. Don't dawdle on the way, and if anything happens this time, ['ll give you another beating that you won ' forvet in a hurry.”’

The slave -oirl ran with all her mlght back to the well and filled the bottle full of water, but once more catching sieht of the lovely reflection, she said,

“ 1 vwould be a fool to go

on drawing water; 1 would be far better and more fitting that 1 should marry. I*rom this moment

[ refuse to serve my mis- tress any longer.” With (hese words she took a pin that she wore mn her hair and pierced the leather bottle with 1t, so that it / became exactly like a fountain, with the water spurting out 1 cvery direction. Here the fairy, who had been watching the black girl’s ridiculous behaviour, could contain

her mirth no longer, and burst 1nto a ledlty laueh.

\When the slave heard

he sound of laughter she

looked to sec where 1t -

came from, and, when sl (RN Ul“ffi"ht 5if-’,}1L (-’t the FLoGopin warien seviering oe o

hidden m the tree, 1

satd to herselt, “ So arc the causc of my mlxuus nearly beating me to death, arc your but wait a little, and 'l be cven with you yet;” but to the fairy she

STRAND

I AGALLIN L

-

sard, W hat are yvou dom beautiiul mad 27

The fairy, who was politeness itsclf, told the black ol v crything there was to tell, and cnded up by sayvimg she was going to marry a charming prince, and was only awaiting his return with a suitable escort and retinue to accompany him to his father’s kinedomn.

When the black slave heard this, a wicked plan entered mto her head, and she sard + o Ohyif vou are expecting your bride- OTOONT'S ulm n, let me come up beside VOLUL aml comb your locks in or der to make vou cven fairer than you arc.

The tfairy answered @ @ You arc most welcome to come,” and stretched down her hand, which looked like a piece of crystal sct in ebony, as she helped the slave up. As soon as the black creature began to +he stuck her hairpim hoping 1 this wav she would kill her on the spot.

But as soon as the fary felt the prick of the pin,

O

• up therc, my

comb the furyv's hoar mto her

clc u‘ll,

she called out * Dove, dove ! and 11 a moment she was changed mto a

dove, and tlew away right up mnto the sky.

When the Prince re- turnced with his suite and train, he could hardly behieve his eyes when he beheld, mstead of the Jovely: matd he had left behind m the hollow o1 the tree, the form ol the uely black slave girl.

Jut when the wicked creature pereeived the Prince's distress and amazement she sard: “Don't be surprised, dea Prince, for 1t s I, vowr [Lucia, but I have been

bewitched by an cevil ma- orcian, and turned trom a far and lovely maiden

T into the ugly black marble

| statue you scee betore you.” The poor Prince, not

knowing how to help him- sclf, madce the best of a bad business, and alter the black girl had

EVELRY DIRECTION,”

cot down from the tree, he had her dressed

i the splcndid clothes he had brought with him for his brid.: and woen she had been