wandered through the flowery fields and by the
banks of rushing streams, and they knew not hunger nor thirst; neither
cold nor heat. The air fed them and the sun warmed them, and they forgot
the dead, for they saw no graves, and the young man's thoughts turned
not to wars, neither to the hunting of animals. And gladly would these
two have walked thus for ever, but in the murmur of the wind he heard
the Master of Life saying to him, 'Return whither you came, for I have
work for you to do, and your people need you, and for many years you
shall rule over them. At the gate my messenger awaits you, and you shall
take again your body which you left behind, and he will show you what
you are to do. Listen to him, and have patience, and in time to come you
shall rejoin her whom you must now leave, for she is accepted, and will
remain ever young and beautiful, as when I called her hence from the
Land of Snows.'

THE WHITE DUCK

Once upon a time a great and powerful King married a lovely Princess. No
couple were ever so happy; but before their honeymoon was over they were
forced to part, for the King had to go on a warlike expedition to a far
country, and leave his young wife alone at home. Bitter were the tears
she shed, while her husband sought in vain to soothe her with words of
comfort and counsel, warning her, above all things, never to leave
the castle, to hold no intercourse with strangers, to beware of evil
counsellors, and especially to be on her guard against strange women.
And the Queen promised faithfully to obey her royal lord and master in
these four matters.

So when the King set out on his expedition she shut herself up with
her ladies in her own apartments, and spent her time in spinning and
weaving, and in thinking of her royal husband. Often she was very sad
and lonely, and it happened that one day while she was seated at the
window, letting salt tears drop on her work, an old woman, a kind,
homely-looking old body, stepped up to the window, and, leaning upon her
crutch, addressed the Queen in friendly, flattering tones, saying:

'Why are you sad and cast down, fair Queen? You should not mope all day
in your rooms, but should come out into the green garden, and hear the
birds sing with joy among the trees, and see the butterflies fluttering
above the flowers, and hear the bees and insects hum, and watch
the sunbeams chase the dew-drops through the rose-leaves and in the
lily-cups. All the brightness o