yet enough, he said, 'I
will make an end of this; it is easy to fasten a sack when it is not
full.' Then he threw it on his back and went with his companions.

Now, when the King saw how a single man was carrying away the wealth
of the whole country he was very angry, and made his cavalry mount
and pursue the Six, and bring back the strong man with the sack. Two
regiments soon overtook them, and called to them, 'You are prisoners!
lay down the sack of gold or you shall be cut down.'

'What do you say?' said the blower, 'we are prisoners? Before that, you
shall dance in the air!' And he held one nostril and blew with the other
at the two regiments; they were separated and blown away in the blue sky
over the mountains, one this way, and the other that. A sergeant-major
cried for mercy, saying he had nine wounds, and was a brave fellow, and
did not deserve this disgrace. So the blower let him off, and he came
down without hurt. Then he said to him, 'Now go home to the King, and
say that if he sends any more cavalry I will blow them all into the
air.'

When the King received the message, he said, 'Let the fellows go; they
are bewitched.' Then the Six brought the treasure home, shared it among
themselves, and lived contentedly till the end of their days.

THE WIZARD KING(14)

(14) From Les fees illustres.

In very ancient times there lived a King, whose power lay not only in
the vast extent of his dominions, but also in the magic secrets of which
he was master. After spending the greater part of his early youth in
pleasure, he met a Princess of such remarkable beauty that he at once
asked her hand in marriage, and, having obtained it, considered himself
the happiest of men.

After a year's time a son was born, worthy in every way of such
distinguished parents, and much admired by the whole Court. As soon as
the Queen thought him strong enough for a journey she set out with him
secretly to visit her Fairy godmother. I said secretly, because the
Fairy had warned the Queen that the King was a magician; and as from
time immemorial there had been a standing feud between the Fairies and
the Wizards, he might not have approved of his wife's visit.

The Fairy godmother, who took the deepest interest in all the Queen's
concerns, and who was much pleased with the little Prince, endowed him
with the power of pleasing everybody from his cradle, as well as with
a wonderful ease in learning everything which could help to m