532 1111

take my advice, and make an exchange with me. I hive near here @ et me have vour cow, which you will never succeed i leading back to your house, and take this sack ; 1t 1s not very heavy, and coverything it contains s worth having.”

The bargain concluded, the stranger led away the cow. The peasant, hoisting the sack, which he found terribly heavy, on his back, sct off on his way home.

Im great treprdation at the reproaches and jeers of his wife, he entered the cottage and bhurst into a long deseription of the dangers he had incurred, and how, Tike the clever man he was; he had exchanged @ dving cow for a sack full of treasures. On hearing this fme story, the woman began to show her cdispleasure - whercupon her husband - plored her to restram her bhad temper, and make no delay o putting her largest sauce- pan on the fire. “ You will thank me,” he saady when you sce what T have brought vou.”’

Upon which he opened the sack, and behold, out of ats depths came a little man all clothed v grey, like a mouse!

“ Good-day, good people,” he said - with all the dignity of a prince. 1 hope that, instead of Lothing me, you will supply me with something to cat. This little cxpedition has given mie a good appetite.”

T'he peasant fell upon his stool as tHough he had been thunder- struck.

“There,” said his wife, T was sure of 1t. Here 1s a new folly. But what can vou cxpeet from a husband? He s certain to do something idiotic! We have Tost the cow by which we lived, and now that we have nothing left, you bring us another mouth to feed ! [ wish you had remaimed under the snow, siry, you, and your sack, and vour treasure [V

The good Tady would have gone on talking 1f the httle grey man had not pomted out to her that big words do not fill the pot, and that the wisest thing to do was to sally forth in scarch of game.

Saving this, he went out in spite of the wind and the snow, and after some time returned with a great sheep.

“There,” he “kall

said, this

STRAND

TTHE SHEREDR DILVINTSEE 1 VIS RLY 1y

MAGALINY,

anmial for me, and do not let us die of hunger.”

The old man and his wile glanced at cach other across the hude man and his prey. This windfall Tooked remarkably Tike a thedt. But hunger silences all qualms of conscience. Fawlul or not, the sheep was devoured with the greatest relish. Irom that day, plenty reigned in the home of the peasant. Sheep succeeded sheep, and the good man, morc credulous than ever, began to think that, after all, he had gamed by his bhargain, since in- stead of the hundred cows he expeeted, IHeaven had sent him such an expert purveyor as the hitte grey man,

One story 1s good tll another 1s heard, Though the sheep multiphied i the old man's cottage, they diminished visibly - the Royal flock. which crazed i the vieinity., The chict shepherd, hecomimg uncasy, informed the Kmg that, Tor some time, in spite ol the mercasing vigilance of the wateh, the finest animals of the flock disappeared one after the other. Wiathout doubt, some clever thiof

must have taken up his abode o the neigh- hourhood.

Before Tong 1t bhecame known

' 78 4 l;“‘&[

N ‘}, N\ \ “g\\\\\\\\\ i

v / a!.'ll

THE ROVAL FLOCK.