all touch
you,--a child who is generous enough to SHARE HIS LAST LOAF WITH A
STRANGER, honest enough to GIVE BACK A REWARD FOR HIS HONESTY, brave
enough to SPEAK THE TRUTH WHEN A LIE WOULD HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE. Long
shall you wait for such a deliverer!'

"Now how amazed will Loki be when he learns that this little boy has
been tempted in all these particulars, yet proves true. My poor
soldiers, you may return whence you came, for the alder-tree will
never rustle its silver leaves in the mountain-garden of Loki."

Then the men disappeared, not sorry that the good boy had escaped his
threatened doom.

Thule, looking at the beautiful elf so lately a tree, could hardly
trust his own eyes; and I fancy that many a boy, even at the present
day, would have felt rather bewildered under the circumstances.

"Shining child!" said he: "you look vastly like the wonderful little
being who led me out of the forest yesterday."

"That may well be," replied the elf of light; "for she is my sister.
The brown dwarf who pointed out to you the alder-tree is also an
excellent friend of mine, though, strange to say, I have never seen
him. We love to aid each other in all possible ways; yet we can never
meet, for there is a fatality in my eyes which would strike him dead.
He had heard of Thule, the little woodcutter who was called so brave
and generous and true. He tried you, you see; and so did my frolicsome
sister, who was fairly ablaze with delight when she found you could
not be tempted to steal!"

Thule's mother had stood all the while on the threshold, overawed and
dumb. Now she came forward, and said,--

"I am prouder to-day than I should be if my son had slain ten men on
the battle-field!"

The beautiful elf of light, penetrated with gratitude and admiration,
remained Thule's fast friend as long as he lived. She gave the lad
and his mother an excellent home, and made them happy all the days of
their lives.

THE PRINCESS HILDA.

Princess Hildegarde sat at an open window, looking out upon her garden
of flowers. She was very beautiful, with a face as fair and sweet as a
rose. Not far off sat, watching her, her young cousin Zora, with a
frown on her brow.

There was bitter hatred in Zora's heart because Hildegarde was rich
and she was poor; because Hildegarde would, in time, be a queen, and
she one of her subjects. Moreover, Hildegarde was so beautiful and
good that the fame of her loveliness had spread far and wide; an