l jumped as high as feathers when
a mattress is shaken.

'Stop! stop! make it stop, and you shall have back your cock and
basket,' cried the man and his wife. And Father Grumbler, who had no
wish to go on, called out between his hops: 'Stop then, can't you? That
is enough for to-day!'

But the switch paid no attention, and dealt out its blows as before, and
MIGHT have been dealing them to this day, if the Holy Man had not heard
their cries and come to the rescue. 'Into the bag, quick!' said he, and
the switch obeyed.

'Now go and fetch me the cock and the basket,' and the woman went
without a word, and placed them on the table.

'You have all got what you deserved,' continued the Holy Man, 'and I
have no pity for any of you. I shall take my treasures home, and perhaps
some day I may find a man who knows how to make the best of the chances
that are given to him. But that will never be YOU,' he added, turning to
Father Grumbler.

[From Contes Populaires.]

The Story of the Yara

Down in the south, where the sun shines so hotly that everything and
everybody sleeps all day, and even the great forests seem silent, except
early in the morning and late in the evening--down in this country there
once lived a young man and a maiden. The girl had been born in the town,
and had scarcely ever left it; but the young man was a native of another
country, and had only come to the city near the great river because he
could find no work to do where he was.

A few months after his arrival, when the days were cooler, and the
people did not sleep so much as usual, a great feast was held a little
way out of the town, and to this feast everyone flocked from thirty
miles and more. Some walked and some rode, some came in beautiful golden
coaches; but all had on splendid dresses of red or blue, while wreaths
of flowers rested on their hair.

It was the first time that the youth had been present on such an
occasion, and he stood silently aside watching the graceful dances
and the pretty games played by the young people. And as he watched,
he noticed one girl, dressed in white with scarlet pomegranates in her
hair, who seemed to him lovelier than all the rest.

When the feast was over, and the young man returned home, his manner was
so strange that it drew the attention of all his friends.

Through his work next day the youth continued to see the girl's face,
throwing the ball to her companions, or threading her way between