ad of
leather, he laid the two sets of gay little fairy-clothes. Then he and
his wife hid away as before, to watch.

Promptly at midnight, the little naked elves came in. They hopped upon
the bench; but when they saw the little clothes there, they laughed and
danced for joy. Each one caught up his little coat and things and began
to put them on. Then they looked at each other and made all kinds of
funny motions in their delight. At last they began to dance, and when
the clock struck two, they danced quite away, out of the window.

They never came back any more, but from that day they gave the shoemaker
and his wife good luck, so that they never needed any more help.

WHO KILLED THE OTTER'S BABIES?[23]

Once the Otter came to the Mouse-deer and said, "Friend Mouse-deer, will
you please take care of my babies while I go to the river, to catch
fish?"

"Certainly," said the Mouse-deer, "go along."

But when the Otter came back from the river, with a string of fish, he
found his babies crushed flat.

"What does this mean, Friend Mouse-deer?" he said. "Who killed my
children while you were taking care of them?"

"I am very sorry," said the Mouse-deer, "but you know I am Chief Dancer
of the War-dance, and the Woodpecker came and sounded the war-gong, so I
danced. I forgot your children, and trod on them."

"I shall go to King Solomon," said the Otter, "and you shall be
punished."

Soon the Mouse-deer was called before King Solomon.

"Did you kill the Otter's babies?" said the king.

"Yes, your Majesty," said the Mouse-deer, "but I did not mean to."

"How did it happen?" said the king.

"Your Majesty knows," said the Mouse-deer, "that I am Chief Dancer of
the War-dance. The Woodpecker came and sounded the war-gong, and I had
to dance; and as I danced I trod on the Otter's children."

"Send for the Woodpecker," said King Solomon. When the Woodpecker came,
he said to him, "Was it you who sounded the war-gong?"

"Yes, your Majesty," said the Woodpecker, "but I had to."

"Why?" said the king.

"Your Majesty knows," said the Woodpecker, "that I am Chief Beater of
the War-gong, and I sounded the gong because I saw the Great Lizard
wearing his sword."

"Send for the Great Lizard," said King Solomon. When the Great Lizard
came, he asked him, "Was it you who were wearing your sword?"

"Yes, your Majesty," said the Great Lizard; "but I had to."

"Why?" said the king.

"Your Majesty knows," said the Gre