ing was delighted to know that which every one else was ignorant
of, so he rewarded the old woman generously, and told a servant to
cook the fish very carefully.

"But take care," said the monarch, "that you do not taste it yourself,
for if you do you will be killed."

George, the servant, was astonished at such a threat, and wondered why
his master was so anxious that no one else should eat any of the fish.
Then examining it curiously he said, "Never in all my life have I seen
such an odd-looking fish; it seems more like a reptile. Now where
would be the harm if I did take some? Every cook tastes of the dishes
he prepares."

When it was fried he tasted a small piece, and while taking some of
the sauce heard a buzzing in the air and a voice speaking in his ear.

"Let us taste a crumb: let us taste a little," it said.

He looked round to see where the words came from, but there were only
a few flies buzzing about in the kitchen. At the same moment some one
out in the yard said in a harsh jerky voice, "Where are we going to
settle? Where?"

And another answered, "In the miller's barley-field; ho! for the
miller's field of barley."

When George looked towards where this strange talk came he saw a
gander flying at the head of a flock of geese.

"How lucky," thought he; "now I know why my master set so much value
on this fish and wished to eat it all himself."

George had now no doubt that by tasting the fish he had learnt the
language of animals, so after having taken a little more he served the
king with the remainder as if nothing had happened.

When his majesty had dined he ordered George to saddle two horses and
accompany him for a ride. They were soon off, the master in front, the
servant behind.

While crossing a meadow George's horse began to prance and caper,
neighing out these words, "I say, brother, I feel so light and in such
good spirits to-day that in one single bound I could leap over those
mountains yonder."

"I could do the same," answered the king's horse, "but I carry a
feeble old man on my back; he would fall like a log and break his
skull."

"What does that matter to you? So much the better if he should break
his head, for then, instead of being ridden by an old man you would
probably be mounted by a young one."

The servant laughed a good deal upon hearing this conversation between
the horses, but he took care to do so on the quiet, lest the king
should hear him. At that moment his ma