tasteless. Now if I had but a young pig, that is much better meat; and then the sausages!

"Look here, Hans," said the butcher, "just for love of you I will exchange, and will give you my pig instead of your cow."

"Heaven reward such kindness!" cried Hans; and handing over the cow, he received in exchange the pig, who was turned out of the wheelbarrow, and was to be led by a string.

So on went Hans, thinking how everything turned out according to his wishes; and how, if trouble overtook him, all was sure to be set right directly. After awhile he fell in with a peasant who was carrying a fine white goose under his arm. They bid each other good-day, and Hans began to tell all about his luck, and how he had made so many good exchanges; and the peasant told how he was taking the goose to a christening feast.

"Just see how heavy it is," said he, taking it up by the wings; "it has been fattening for the last eight weeks, and when it is roasted won't the fat run down!"

"Yes, indeed," said Hans, weighing it in his hand, "very fine, to be sure, but my pig is not to be despised." Upon which the peasant glanced cautiously on all sides, and shook his head.

"I am afraid," said he, "that there is something not quite right about your pig. In the village I have just left, one had actually been stolen from the bailiff's yard. I fear, I fear, you have it in your hand. They have sent after the thief, and it would be a bad look-out for you if it was found upon you; the least that could happen would be to be thrown into a dark hole."

Poor Hans grew pale with fright. "For heaven's sake," said he, "help me out of this scrape. I am a stranger in these parts: take my pig, and give me your goose."

"It will be running some risk," answered the man; "but I will do it sooner than that you should come to grief."

And so, taking the cord in his hand, he drove the pig quickly along by a by-path; and Lucky Hans went on his way home, with the goose under his arm.

"The more I think of it," said he to himself, "the better the bargain seems. First, I get the roast-goose; then the fat — that will last a whole year for bread and drippings; and lastly the beautiful white feathers which I can stuff my pillow with. How comfortable I shall sleep upon it, and how pleased my mother will be!"

When he reached the last village, he saw a knife-grinder with his barrow; and his wheel went whirring round, and he sang:

"My scissors I grind, and my wheel I turn;
And all good fellows my trade should learn,

For all that I meet with just serves my turn."

Hans stood and looked at him; and at last he spoke to him and said, "You seem very well off, and merry with your grinding."

"Yes," answered the knife-grinder; "my handiwork pays very well. I call a man a good grinder who every time he puts his hand in his pocket finds money there. buy that fine goose?"

But where did you

"I did not buy it, but I swapped it for my pig," said Hans. "And the pig?"

"That I swapped for a cow."

"And the cow?"

"That I swapped for a horse."

"And the horse?"

"For the horse I gave a lump of gold as big as my head." "And the gold?"

"Oh, that was my wages for seven years' service."

"You seem to have fended for yourself very well," said the knife-grinder. "Now if you could but manage to have money in your pocket every time you put your hand in, you would be made." "How shall I manage that?" asked Hans.

"All

"You must be a knife-grinder like me," said the man. you want is a grindstone; the rest comes of itself. I have one here to be sure it is a little damaged, and I don't mind letting you have it in exchange for your goose. What say you?"

"How can you ask?" answered Hans. "I shall be the luckiest fellow in the world; for if I find money whenever I put my hand in my pocket, there is nothing more left to want."

And so he handed over the goose to the other, and received the grindstone in exchange.

"Now," said the knife-grinder, taking up a heavy common stone that lay near by, "here is another proper kind of stone that will stand a good deal of wear, and that you can hammer out your old nails upon. Take it with you, and carry it carefully."

Hans lifted up the stone, and carried it off with a contented mind. "I must have been born under a lucky star!" cried he, while his eyes sparkled for joy. "I have only to wish for a thing, and it is mine!"

After awhile he began to feel rather tired, as he had been on his legs since daybreak. He also began to feel rather hun

gry, as in the fulness of his joy at getting the cow he had eaten up all he had. At last he could scarcely go on at all, and had to make a halt every moment; for the stones weighed him down unmercifully, and he could not help wishing that he did not feel obliged to drag them along. And on he went at a snail's pace until he came to a well; there he thought he would rest, and take a drink of the fresh water. He placed the stones carefully by his side at the edge of the well; then he sat down, and as he stooped to drink, he happened to give the stones a little push, and they both fell into the water with a splash. And then Hans, having watched them disappear, jumped for joy, and thanked his stars that he had, without any effort of his own, been so lucky as to get rid of the stones that had weighed upon him so long. "I really think," cried he," that I am the luckiest man under the sun.

So he went on, void of care, until he reached his mother's house.

THE CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP.

A CAT, having made acquaintance with a Mouse, professed such great love and friendship for her that the Mouse at last agreed that they should live and keep house together.

"We must make provision for the winter," said the Cat," or we shall suffer hunger; and you, little Mouse, must not stir out, or you will be caught in a trap."

So they took counsel together, and bought a pot of fat. And then they could not tell where to put it for safety; but after long consideration the Cat said there could not be a better place than the church, for nobody would steal it there; and they would put it under the altar, and not touch it until they were really in want. So this was done, and the little pot placed in safety. But before long the Cat was seized with a great wish to taste it.

"Listen to me, little Mouse," said he; "I have been asked by my cousin to stand godfather to a little son she has brought into the world. He is white with brown spots; and they want to have the christening to-day. So let me go to it, and you stay at home and keep house."

"Oh, yes, certainly," answered the Mouse; "pray go by all means. And when you are feasting on all the good things, think of me; I should so like a drop of the sweet red wine!"

But there was not a word of truth in all this. The Cat had

no cousin, and had not been asked to stand godfather. He went to the church, straight up to the little pot, and licked the fat off the top; then he took a walk over the roofs of the town, saw his acquaintances, stretched himself in the sun, and licked his whiskers as often as he thought of the fat; and then, when it was evening, he went home.

"Here you are at last," said the Mouse; "I expect you had a merry time!"

"Oh, pretty well," answered the Cat.

"And what name did you give the child?" asked the Mouse. "Top-off," " answered the Cat, dryly.

666

Top-off!'" cried the Mouse; "that is a singular and wonderful name! Is it common in your family?"

"What does it matter?" said the Cat.

than 'Crumb-picker,' like your godchild."

"It's not any worse

After this the Cat was again seized with a longing.

66

Again I must ask you," said he, one day, "to do me a favor, and keep house alone for a day. I have been asked a second time to stand godfather; and as the little one has a white ring round its neck, I cannot well refuse."

So the kind little Mouse consented; and the Cat crept along by the town wall until he reached the church, and going straight to the little pot of fat, devoured half of it.

"Nothing tastes so well as what one keeps to himself," said he, feeling quite content with his day's work.

When he reached home the Mouse asked what name had been given to the child.

"Half-gone,'" answered the Cat.

"Half-gone!"" cried the Mouse. "I never heard such a name in my life; I'll bet it is not to be found in the calendar." Soon after that the Cat's mouth began to water again for the fat.

"Good things always come in threes," said he to the Mouse; "again I have been asked to stand godfather. The little one is quite black, with white feet, and not any white hair on its body. Such a thing does not happen every day; so you will let me go, won't you?"

6

999

"Top-off,' Half-gone,' murmured the Mouse; "they are such curious names, I cannot but wonder at them!"

"That's because you are always sitting at home," said the Cat," in your little gray frock, and hairy tail, never seeing the world, and fancying all sorts of things."

So the little Mouse cleaned up the house and set it all in order. Meanwhile the greedy Cat went and made an end of the little pot of fat.

"Now all is finished, one's mind will be easy," said he, and came home in the evening, quite sleek and comfortable.

The Mouse asked at once what name had been given to the third child.

"It won't please you any better than the others," answered the Cat. "It is called 'All-gone.""

"All-gone!"" cried the Mouse.

"What an unheard-of

name! I never heard of anything like it. What can it mean?" And, shaking her head, she curled herself round and went to sleep.

After that the Cat was not again asked to stand godfather. When the winter had come, and there was nothing more to be had out of doors, the Mouse began to think of their store.

"Come, Cat," said she, "we will fetch our pot of fat. How good it will taste, to be sure!

"Of course it will," said the Cat; "just as good as if you stuck your tongue out of the window."

So they set out, and when they reached the place they found the pot, but it was standing empty.

"Oh, now I know what it all meant!" cried the Mouse; "now I see what sort of a partner you have been! Instead of standing godfather, you have devoured it all up; first Top-off,' then 'Half-gone,' then-"

6

"Will you hold your tongue?" screamed the Cat. "Another word and I'll devour you too!"

And the poor little Mouse having " All-gone" on her tongue, out it came; and the Cat leaped on her, and made an end of her. And that is the way of the world.

WHY BEANS HAVE A BLACK SEAM.

THERE lived in a certain village a poor old woman who had collected a mess of beans, and was going to made a fire on her hearth, and in order to

cook them. So she make it burn better

she put in a handful of straw. When the beans began to bubble in the pot, one of them fell out and lay, never noticed near a Straw which was already there; soon a red-hot Coal jumped out of the fire and joined the pair.

The Straw began first, and said :