for the guards readily obeyed
him, as they knew he was going to marry the king's daughter.

"You tremble," said the princess, when the shadow appeared
before her. "Has anything happened? You must not be ill to-day, for
this evening our wedding will take place."

"I have gone through the most terrible affair that could
possibly happen," said the shadow; "only imagine, my shadow has gone
mad; I suppose such a poor, shallow brain, could not bear much; he
fancies that he has become a real man, and that I am his shadow."

"How very terrible," cried the princess; "is he locked up?"

"Oh yes, certainly; for I fear he will never recover."

"Poor shadow!" said the princess; "it is very unfortunate for him;
it would really be a good deed to free him from his frail existence;
and, indeed, when I think how often people take the part of the
lower class against the higher, in these days, it would be policy to
put him out of the way quietly."

"It is certainly rather hard upon him, for he was a faithful
servant," said the shadow; and he pretended to sigh.

"Yours is a noble character," said the princess, and bowed herself
before him.

In the evening the whole town was illuminated, and cannons fired
"boom," and the soldiers presented arms. It was indeed a grand
wedding. The princess and the shadow stepped out on the balcony to
show themselves, and to receive one cheer more. But the learned man
heard nothing of all these festivities, for he had already been
executed.

THE SHEPHERDESS AND THE SHEEP

Have you ever seen an old wooden cupboard quite black with age,
and ornamented with carved foliage and curious figures? Well, just
such a cupboard stood in a parlor, and had been left to the family
as a legacy by the great-grandmother. It was covered from top to
bottom with carved roses and tulips; the most curious scrolls were
drawn upon it, and out of them peeped little stags' heads, with
antlers. In the middle of the cupboard door was the carved figure of a
man most ridiculous to look at. He grinned at you, for no one could
call it laughing. He had goat's legs, little horns on his head, and
a long beard; the children in the room always called him, "Major
general-field-sergeant-commander Billy-goat's-legs." It was
certainly a very difficult name to pronounce, and there are very few
who ever receive such a title, but then it seemed wonderful how he
came to be carved at all; yet there he was, always looking at the
table u