vy, but the good man was merciful and
staggered along as best he could under his load.

'It is not much further,' he thought to himself as he reached an avenue
of walnut trees, when suddenly a voice spoke out from over his head, and
made him jump.

'Where are you?' said the voice, and the sheep answered:

'Here on the shoulders of a donkey.'

In another moment the sheep was standing on the ground and William was
running towards home as fast as his legs would carry him. But as he
went, a laugh, which yet was something of a bleat, rang in his ears, and
though he tried not to hear, the words reached him, 'Oh, dear! What fun
I have had, to be sure!'

* * * * *

Puck was careful not always to play his tricks in the same place, but
visited one village after another, so that everyone trembled lest he
should be the next victim. After a bit he grew tired of cowboys and
shepherds, and wondered if there was no one else to give him some sport.
At length he was told of a young couple who were going to the nearest
town to buy all that they needed for setting up house. Quite certain
that they would forget something which they could not do without, Puck
waited patiently till they were jogging along in their cart on their
return journey, and changed himself into a fly in order to overhear
their conversation.

For a long time it was very dull--all about their wedding day next
month, and who were to be invited. This led the bride to her wedding
dress, and she gave a little scream.

'Just think! Oh! how _could_ I be so stupid! I have forgotten to buy the
different coloured reels of cotton to match my clothes!'

'Dear, dear!' exclaimed the young man. 'That _is_ unlucky; and didn't
you tell me that the dressmaker was coming in to-morrow?'

'Yes, I did,' and then suddenly she gave another little scream, which
had quite a different sound from the first. 'Look! Look!'

The bridegroom looked, and on one side of the road he saw a large ball
of thread of all colours--of all the colours, that is, of the dresses
that were tied on to the back of the cart.

'Well, that is a wonderful piece of good fortune,' cried he, as he
sprang out to get it. 'One would think a fairy had put it there on
purpose.'

'Perhaps she has,' laughed the girl, and as she spoke she seemed to hear
an echo of her laughter coming from the horse, but of course that was
nonsense.

* * * * *

The dress