would
sit down in some retired spot and gaze upon her portrait with a sad
heart and eyes filled with tears. For the picture was a faithful
likeness of her, and he looked upon it as a gift from his parents.

Now the king had noticed this habit of his, and one day while he sat
by a stream looking at the picture he came quietly behind him, and
glanced over his shoulder to see what he was so attentively regarding.

"Give me that portrait," said the monarch.

The boy handed it him. The king examined it closely, and admiring it
greatly, said: "I have never seen such a beautiful face in all my
life, never even dreamed of such loveliness. Come, tell me, is the
original of the picture living?"

The lad burst into tears, and told him it was the living image of his
sister, who a short time since had received as a special mark of
favour from God, that her tears should be changed into pearls, her
smiles into roses, and the touch of her hands in water should produce
beautiful gold-fish.

The king commanded him to write to his stepmother at once and bid her
send her lovely step-daughter to the chapel of the palace, where the
king would be waiting to marry her. The letter also contained promises
of special royal favours.

The lad wrote the letter, which the king sent by a special messenger.

Now a good story is soon told, but the deeds of which it is the sum
are not performed so quickly.

When the stepmother received the letter she determined to say nothing
about it to her step-child, but she showed it to her own daughter, and
talked the matter over with her. Then she went to learn the art of
sorcery from a witch, and having found out all it was necessary to
know, set off with both of the girls. On approaching the capital, the
wicked woman pushed her step-child out of the carriage and repeated
some magic words over her. After this she became very small and
covered with feathers, then in a moment she was changed into a
wild-duck. She began to quack, and made for the water, as ducks do,
and swam to a far distance. The stepmother bade her farewell in the
following words: "By the strength of my hate may my will be fulfilled.
Swim about the banks in the form of a duck, and rejoice in thy
liberty. During that time my daughter shall take thy form, shall marry
the king, and shall enjoy the good fortune fate destined for thee."

[Illustration]

At the conclusion of these words her own child became endowed with all
the graces and be