ot do this, then they are condemned to pay eight hundred pounds
for their false accusation.'

The young men looked at each other, and slowly shook their heads.

'We will pay the fine,' said they, and the judge nodded.

So the poor man rode the mule home, and brought back to his family
enough money to keep them in comfort to the end of their days.

Adapted from the Portuguese.

_THE ONE-HANDED GIRL_

AN old couple once lived in a hut under a grove of palm trees, and they
had one son and one daughter. They were all very happy together for many
years, and then the father became very ill, and felt he was going to
die. He called his children to the place where he lay on the floor--for
no one had any beds in that country--and said to his son, 'I have no
herds of cattle to leave you--only the few things there are in the
house--for I am a poor man, as you know. But choose: will you have my
blessing or my property?'

'Your property, certainly,' answered the son, and his father nodded.

'And you?' asked the old man of the girl, who stood by her brother.

'I will have blessing,' she answered, and her father gave her much
blessing.

That night he died, and his wife and son and daughter mourned for him
seven days, and gave him a burial according to the custom of his people.
But hardly was the time of mourning over, than the mother was attacked
by a disease which was common in that country.

'I am going away from you,' she said to her children, in a faint voice;
'but first, my son, choose which you will have: blessing or property.'

'Property, certainly,' answered the son,

'And you, my daughter?'

'I will have blessing,' said the girl; and her mother gave her much
blessing, and that night she died.

* * * * *

When the days of mourning were ended, the brother bade his sister put
outside the hut all that belonged to his father and his mother. So the
girl put them out, and he took them away, save only a small pot and a
vessel in which she could clean her corn. But she had no corn to clean.

She sat at home, sad and hungry, when a neighbour knocked at the door.

'My pot has cracked in the fire, lend me yours to cook my supper in, and
I will give you a handful of corn in return.'

And the girl was glad, and that night she was able to have supper
herself, and next day another woman borrowed her pot, and then another
and another, for never were known so many accidents as b