nce, she stopped and spoke to him.

"Have you visited my museum yet?" she said. "There is nothing in the
city so well worth your attention as that. You should go there before
seeing any thing else. You have a high forehead, and an intelligent
expression, and I have no doubt that it will interest you greatly. I
am going there myself, and I shall be glad to see what effect that
fine collection has upon a stranger."

This did not suit the Stranger at all. From what he had heard he felt
quite sure that if he went to the museum, he would soon be in jail;
and so he hurried to propose a plan which had occurred to him while
on his way to the palace.

"I came to see your Majesty on the subject of the museum," he said,
"and to crave permission to contribute to the collection some objects
which shall be interesting to every one. I understand that it is
highly desirable that every one should be interested."

"Of course it is," said the Queen, "and although I think that there
is not the slightest reason why every one should not feel the keenest
interest in what the museum already contains, I am willing to add to
it whatever may make it of greater value."

"In that case," said the Stranger, "no time should be lost in
securing what I wish to present."

"Go at once," said the Queen. "But how soon can you return?"

"It will take some days, at least," said the Stranger.

"Give me your parole to return in a week," said the Queen, "and start
immediately."

The Stranger gave his parole and left the palace. Having filled a
leathern bag with provisions from a cook's shop, he went out of the
city gates. As he walked into the open country, he said to himself:

"I have certainly undertaken a very difficult enterprise. Where I am
to find any thing that will interest all the people in that city, I
am sure I do not know; but my heart is so filled with pity for the
great number of unfortunate persons who are torn from their homes and
shut up in prison, that I am determined to do something for them, if
I possibly can. There must be some objects to be found in this vast
country that will interest every one."

About noon he came to a great mountain-side covered with a forest.
Thinking that he was as likely to find what he sought in one place as
another, and preferring the shade to the sun, he entered the forest,
and walked for some distance along a path which gradually led up the
mountain. Having crossed a brook with its edges lined with