oman
told her that he was sick, and asked her why she had come. Maria
replied that she had learned of his sickness and had come to cure him
with some leaves. As soon as the negress learned about the leaves,
she took them and gave them to the prince, who immediately recovered
from his sickness.

The prince had promised to marry any woman who could cure him,
and as the black woman had cured him he married her. The negress,
seeing that she was ugly, tried to make Maria so also, so she took
her as a servant and painted her black; but Maria had an enchanted
ring which gave her the power of changing her form. Every night in
her room Maria made use of her ring, obtaining by means of it her
maids of honor, fine dresses, and a band which played sweet music.

It chanced one night that Don Juan was awakened by the sound of
music. He traced it to a certain room, and looking through the keyhole,
saw all that was going on in Maria's room. He was greatly astonished
and stood watching for a long time. Suddenly he saw Maria take from
her ring a pair of scissors. These at a sign suspended themselves in
the air, ready, when Maria should give the signal, to fall and pierce
her heart. Don Juan rushed into the room and caught the scissors just
as they were falling.

Then Maria told him all that had happened to her. She was proclaimed
as the prince's true wife, and the black woman was put to death as
a punishment for her deception.

CHAPTER 9

The Enchanted Shell.

In the olden time there lived a man and his wife who had no son. They
prayed that they might have a son, even if he were only like a little
shell. When their son was born, he was very small, and just like a
shell, so he was named Shell.

One day Shell asked permission of his mother to go and get some
food. His mother at first would not let him, as she was afraid he
would meet some animal which would kill him; but at last she consented,
and he set out.

He went to the river, where some women were catching fish and putting
them into baskets. One of them laid her basket on the grass near
the river and Shell crept into it. In a few minutes the woman picked
up her basket and started for home. All at once Shell began to cry
"Rain! Rain!" The woman was so frightened at hearing the fishes talk,
as she supposed, that she threw down her basket and ran away. Then
Shell took the basket full of fish to his mother.

The next day Shell went out again. He saw an old man walking alon