food to her husband
in their humble cottage, the King's son in golden clothes broke through
the crowd; and when he saw a beautiful woman at the kitchen door, he
took her by the hand and said that she should be his partner in the
dance.

Then she trembled for fear, for when she looked up she saw that it was
King Grisly-Beard himself who was making fun of her. However, he led her
into the ballroom, and as he did so the cover of her basket came off, so
that the fragments of food in it fell to the floor. Then everybody
laughed and jeered at her, and she wished herself a thousand feet deep
in the earth.

She sprang to the door to run away; but King Grisly-Beard overtook her,
brought her back, and threw his golden cloak over her shoulders.

"Do not be afraid, my dear," said he; "I am the beggar who has lived
with you in the hut. I brought you there because I loved you. I am also
the soldier who upset your stall. I have done all this to cure you of
your pride. Now it is all over; you have learned wisdom, and it is time
for us to hold our marriage feast."

Then the maids came and brought her the most beautiful robes, and her
father and his whole court came in and wished her much happiness. The
feast was grand, and all were merry; and I wish you and I had been of
the party.

[Illustration]

_The Country Rat and the Town Rat_

[Illustration]

A Country Rat invited a Town Rat, an intimate friend, to pay him a
visit, and partake of his country fare. As they were on the bare
plough-lands, eating their wheat-stalks and roots pulled up from the
hedge row, the Town Rat said to his friend, "You live here the life of
the ants, while in my house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded with
every luxury, and if you will come with me, as I much wish you would,
you shall have an ample share of my dainties." The Country Rat was
easily persuaded, and returned to town with his friend. On his arrival,
the Town Rat placed before him bread, barley, beans, dried figs, honey,
raisins, and last of all, brought a dainty piece of cheese from a
basket. The Country Rat being much delighted at the sight of such good
cheer, expressed his satisfaction in warm terms, and lamented his own
hard fate. Just as they were beginning to eat, some one opened the door,
and they both ran off squeaking as fast as they could to a hole so
narrow that two could only find room in it by squeezing. They had
scarcely again begun their repast when someone el