nced, the higher rose the sea; at last the
waves covered the children's heads and they were all drowned.

Towards morning old Peggy went out, for she was anxious about the fate
of her grandchildren. She sought them high and low, but could not find
them anywhere. She asked all the neighbours if they had seen the
children, but no one knew anything about them, except that the eldest
had not been with the blue-eyed daughter of Jacob the rope-maker.

As she was going home, bowed with grief, she saw a little black pony
coming towards her, springing and curveting in every direction. When it
got quite near her it neighed loudly, and galloped past her so quickly
that in a moment it was out of her sight.

[From the French, _Kletke_.]

_AN IMPOSSIBLE ENCHANTMENT_

There once lived a king who was much loved by his people, and he, too,
loved them warmly. He led a very happy life, but he had the greatest
dislike to the idea of marrying, nor had he ever felt the slightest wish
to fall in love. His subjects begged him to marry, and at last he
promised to try to do so. But as, so far, he had never cared for any
woman he had seen, he made up his mind to travel in hopes of meeting
some lady he could love.

So he arranged all the affairs of state in an orderly manner, and set
out, attended by only one equerry, who, though not very clever, had most
excellent good sense. These people indeed generally make the best
fellow-travellers.

The king explored several countries, doing all he could to fall in love,
but in vain; and at the end of two years' journeys he turned his face
towards home, with as free a heart as when he set out.

As he was riding along through a forest he suddenly heard the most awful
miawing and shrieking of cats you can imagine. The noise drew nearer,
and nearer, and at last they saw a hundred huge Spanish cats rush
through the trees close to them. They were so closely packed together
that you could easily have covered them with a large cloak, and all were
following the same track. They were closely pursued by two enormous
apes, dressed in purple suits, with the prettiest and best made boots
you ever saw.

The apes were mounted on superb mastiffs, and spurred them on in hot
haste, blowing shrill blasts on little toy trumpets all the time.

The king and his equerry stood still to watch this strange hunt, which
was followed by twenty or more little dwarfs, some mounted on wolves,
and leading relays, an