r.

"This will be your companion," said the Fairy of the Waters. "Her name
is Pensive. She will show you the way; but I warn you it is for you to
direct her, and not for her to lead you. If you make her obey, she
will serve you; if you obey her, she will destroy you."

"Stir the black ashes," added the good Fairy of the Waters, "and
perhaps you will find something there."

Graceful obeyed. Under the ashes of the paper he found a vial of rock
crystal, sparkling like a diamond. This, the fairy said, was to hold
the water of immortality, which would break any vessel made by the
hand of man. By the side of the vial Graceful found a dagger with a
triangular blade--a very different thing from the stiletto of his
father the fisherman, which he had been forbidden to touch. With this
weapon he could brave the proudest enemy.

"My sister, you shall not be more generous than I," said the other
fairy; then, taking a rush from the only chair in the room, she blew
upon it, when, lo! the rush instantly swelled, and in less time than
it takes to tell it became a beautiful musket, inlaid with
mother-of-pearl. A second rush produced a cartridge-box, which
Graceful slung around his body and which became him marvelously. One
would have thought him a prince setting out for the chase; he was so
handsome that his grandmother wept for joy and emotion.

The two fairies vanished; Graceful kissed the good old woman, urging
her to await his return, and knelt before her to receive her blessing.
She entreated him to be patient, just, and charitable, and, above all,
not to wander from the right path. "Not for my sake," added the old
woman, "for I would gladly welcome death, and I regret the wish that
you have made, but for your own, my child, that you may return to me
and that I may not die without your being here to close my eyes."

It was late. Graceful threw himself on the ground, too agitated, it
seemed, to sleep. But slumber soon overtook him, and he slept soundly
all night, while his poor grandmother watched the face of her dear
child lighted by the flickering lamp, and did not weary of mournfully
admiring him.

II

Early in the morning, when dawn was scarcely breaking, the swallow
began to twitter, and Fido to pull the blankets. "Let us go,
master--let us go," said the two companions, in their language, which
Graceful understood by the gift of the fairies; "the tide is already
rising on the beach, the birds are singing, the flies a