ince."

The cook, disturbed in his work, wanted to refuse her, but no angry word
could escape his lips when he looked at her, and he answered very kindly,
"Very well, fair maiden, do what you please; I myself will serve your cake
to Prince Ivan."

At the feast when all the guests were sitting around the table, the chief
cook put before Ivan a large cake upon a beautiful silver plate. All the
guests were surprised at the skill of the baker. But as soon as Ivan cut
off the top of it, a new wonder! A pair of pigeons flew out of it. The gray
male pigeon was walking upon the table, and the white female after him
cooing. "Pigeon, my pigeon, stop, do not run away; you will forget me just
as Prince Ivan has forgotten Princess Mary."

Ivan groaned when he heard this. He jumped up like mad, and ran to the door
behind which Mary was waiting. Before the palace the black steed all
saddled and bridled, was impatiently stamping the ground. They did not
tarry. Ivan and his princess rode away. After a long journey they arrived
in King Longbeard's kingdom, where the old king and queen gave them a
joyful reception. They prepared for the wedding; guests were invited and a
great feast feasted. And I was there and feasted with them, and that is the
end of the whole story.

THE TOY-GOOSE

A Flea, a Grasshopper, and a Toy-goose once wanted to see which of them
could jump highest, and so they invited the whole world and everybody else
who would like to come, to see the frolic. When the three met together in
the room, everyone thought they were remarkable jumpers.

"Well, I'll give my daughter to the one who jumps highest!" said the king;
"for it would not be fair to let these people jump for nothing!"

The first one to step forward was the Flea; he had such perfect manners and
bowed on every side, for he had noble blood in his veins, and more than
that, he associated only with human beings, which makes a great difference.

Then came the Grasshopper; he was certainly very much larger, however, he
carried himself well, and wore the green uniform he was born with.
Moreover, as he said, he belonged to a very old family in the land of
Egypt, and was well thought of here at home.

The fact was, when he was brought out of the fields he was put in a house,
three storeys high, all made of court-cards with the colored side turned
in; both doors and windows were cut out in the waist of the Queen of
Hearts. "I sing so well," he said "that