and Dobrotek approached the sleeping maiden. He just touched her brow
with the dwarf's beard, upon which she opened her eyes, smiled, and
seemed to ask where she was.

The king, overcome with joy, kissed her fondly, and the same evening
she was married to the devoted Prince Dobrotek. The king himself led
her to the altar, and to his son-in-law he gave half his kingdom. So
splendid was the wedding banquet, that eye has never seen, nor ear
ever heard of its equal.

THE FLYING CARPET, THE INVISIBLE CAP, THE GOLD-GIVING RING, AND THE
SMITING CLUB

[Illustration]

THE FLYING CARPET, THE INVISIBLE CAP, THE GOLD-GIVING RING, AND THE
SMITING CLUB

In a cottage near the high-road, and close to the shores of a large
lake, there once lived a widow, poor and old. She was very very poor,
but her mother's heart was rich in pride in her son, who was the joy
of her life. He was a handsome lad with an honest soul. He earned his
living by fishing in the lake, and succeeded so well that neither he
nor his mother were ever in want of their daily bread. Every one
called him "the fisherman."

One evening at dusk he went down to the lake to throw in his nets, and
standing on the shore with a new bucket in his hand, waited to put
into it whatever fish it might please God to send him. In about a
quarter of an hour or so he drew in his nets and took out two bream.
These he threw into the bucket, and humming a merry song turned to go
home. At that moment a traveller, poorly clad, with hair and beard
white as the wings of a dove, spoke to him, saying, "Have pity on a
feeble old man, obliged to lean on his stick, hungry and ragged. I beg
you, in Heaven's name, to give me either money or bread. The sun will
soon set, and I who have eaten nothing to-day shall have to pass the
night fasting, with the bare earth for a bed."

"My good old friend, I am sorry I have nothing about me to give you,
but you see the black smoke curling up in the distance? That is our
cottage, where my old mother is waiting for me to bring her some fish
to cook for our supper. Now take these two bream to her, meanwhile I
will return to the lake and throw in my nets again to see if I can
catch something more. Thus, with God's help, we shall all three have
enough for supper to-night and breakfast to-morrow morning."

While speaking the fisherman handed the fish to the old man, when,
marvel of marvels! he melted into the rays of the setting sun and
vanis