away over the castle.

All the people came flocking out at the town gate, for they wanted to
see the witch burned. The old horse drew the cart on which she sat. They
had put upon her a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hung
loose about her beautiful head; her cheeks were as pale as death; and
her lips moved silently, while her fingers were engaged with the green
flax. Even on the way to death she did not interrupt the work she had
begun; the ten shirts of mail lay at her feet, and she wrought at the
eleventh. The mob derided her.

"Look at the red witch, how she mutters! She has no hymn-book in her
hand; no, there she sits with her ugly sorcery--tear it in a thousand
pieces!"

And they all pressed upon her, and wanted to tear up the shirts of mail.
Then eleven wild swans came flying up, and sat round about her on the
cart, and beat with their wings; and the mob gave way before them,
terrified.

"That is a sign from heaven! She is certainly innocent!" whispered many.
But they did not dare to say it aloud.

Now the executioner seized her by the hand; then she hastily threw the
eleven shirts over the swans, and immediately eleven handsome Princes
stood there. But the youngest had a swan's wing instead of an arm, for a
sleeve was wanting to his shirt--she had not quite finished it.

"Now I may speak!" she said. "I am innocent!"

And the people who saw what happened bowed before her as before a saint;
but she sank lifeless into her brother's arms, such an effect had
suspense, anguish, and pain upon her.

"Indeed, she is innocent," said the eldest brother.

And now he told everything that had taken place; and while he spoke a
fragrance arose as of millions of roses, for every piece of faggot in
the pile had taken root and was sending forth shoots; and a fragrant
hedge stood there, tall and great, covered with red roses, and at the
top a flower, white and shining, gleaming like a star. This flower the
King plucked and placed in Eliza's bosom; and she awoke with peace and
happiness in her heart.

And all the church bells rang of themselves, and the birds came in great
flocks. And back to the castle such a marriage procession was held as no
King had ever seen.

TAPER TOM

In a certain kingdom there was a very beautiful Princess, but she was so
sad that no one could make her laugh; she would not even smile, though
all in the court were gay and happy.

For a long time her father tried hard to f