king said--

"No, ladies; you have only yourselves to thank. Had you been as innocent
as this shepherdess, who is going to be my queen, you would not have
dreaded looking into the mirror."

After the marriage the barber was heard to say, that as the magic mirror
had now lost its virtue, who could tell but what this charm might be
restored to Granada?

THE BLACK SLAVE.

There was once a princess who had a black man slave.

"Princess," said the black slave one day, "I know that you love the good
Count of Yanno very much; but you cannot marry him, for he is already
married. Why not, then, marry me?"

"I love, as you say, the Count of Yanno, and I know that he is married;
but my father is a very powerful king, and he can render his marriage
void. As for you," continued the princess, "I would rather marry the
lowest born man of my own race than a nigger!"

"Remember, princess, for how many years I have been your true slave--how
I used to look after you when you were a child. Did I not once save you
from the fangs of a wolf?"

"You need not tell me," answered the princess, "that you love me as
slaves love their superiors; but should you ever speak again about
marrying me, I will tell my royal father."

"If you mention the love that slaves generally have to their owners, I
will not contradict you; but I think that sometimes masters are more
unworthy the love of their slaves than the slaves are entitled to the
love of their masters," said the slave.

"You belong to us by purchase or by inheritance," continued the
princess, "and we do not belong to you. The white man gains the love of
the lady of his choice by deeds of arms; he bears on his lance the
banner embroidered by his lady-love, and, as a true knight, he makes
verses in her honour."

"Chivalry, as you understand it, is to me a fable; for if one of your
pale-faced knights risk his life, it is on behalf of his family pride,
although he may mention his lady-love's name with his dying breath; but
if a slave lay down his life for his master or mistress, it is only
reckoned a part of his duty," urged the slave.

"I command you not to speak to me again like this," said the princess,
"or I will have you severely punished."

The poor slave was very sorrowful when he heard the princess, whom he
loved so dearly, threaten to have him punished. "Death is the leveller
of all ranks and of all races," said he; "the dust of the dead white man
and of the nigger a