much as money. A
merchant has always a use for that.'

'I can well believe that,' said the peasant, 'for you had nothing at all
to start with. I have brought some with me for that very end.' With
that he emptied his bag of money out upon the table, so that it was all
covered with bright dollars.

When the merchant saw what kind of man he had before him he began to
speak him fair, and invited him to stay with him for some days, so that
they might have some more talk together.

'Very well,' said the peasant, 'but you must call me "Father."'

'I have neither father nor mother alive,' said Peter Bull.

'I know that,' said the man; 'your real father was sold at Hamburg last
Michaelmas, and your real mother died while calving in spring; but my
wife and I have adopted you as our own, and you are our only heir, so
you must call me "Father."'

Peter Bull was quite willing to do so, and it was settled that he should
keep the money, while the peasant made his will and left to him all that
he had, before he went home to his wife, and told her the whole story.

She was delighted to hear that it was true enough about Peter Bull--that
he was no other than their own bull-calf.

'You must go at once and tell the clerk,' said she, 'and pay him the
hundred dollars of his own money that he spent upon our son. He has
earned them well, and more besides, for all the joy he has given us in
having such a son and heir.'

The man agreed with this, and thanked the clerk for all he had done, and
gave him two hundred dollars. Then he sold the farm, and removed with
his wife to the town where their dear son and heir was living. To him
they gave all their wealth, and lived with him till their dying day.

The Bird 'Grip'

Translated from the Swedish.

It happened once that a king, who had a great kingdom and three sons,
became blind, and no human skill or art could restore to him his sight.
At last there came to the palace an old woman, who told him that in the
whole world there was only one thing that could give him back his sight,
and that was to get the bird Grip; his song would open the King's eyes.

When the king's eldest son heard this he offered to bring the bird Grip,
which was kept in a cage by a king in another country, and carefully
guarded as his greatest treasure. The blind king was greatly rejoiced at
his son's resolve, fitted him out in the best way he could, and let him
go. When the prince had ridden some distance