d like a soft, muffled step, patter, patter, patter
overhead, and the next moment the fox's head and fore-paws were seen
coming down the chimney. But Blacky very wisely had not put the lid on
the kettle, and, with a yelp of pain, the fox fell into the boiling
water, and before he could escape, Blacky had popped the lid on, and the
fox was scalded to death.

As soon as he was sure that their wicked enemy was really dead, and
could do them no further harm, Blacky started off to rescue Browny and
Whitey. As he approached the den he heard piteous grunts and squeals
from his poor little brother and sister who lived in constant terror of
the fox killing and eating them. But when they saw Blacky appear at the
entrance to the den their joy knew no bounds. He quickly found a sharp
stone and cut the cords by which they were tied to a stake in the
ground, and then all three started off together for Blacky's house,
where they lived happily ever after; and Browny quite gave up rolling in
the mud, and Whitey ceased to be greedy, for they never forgot how
nearly these faults had brought them to an untimely end.

[Illustration]

_HEART OF ICE_

Once upon a time there lived a King and Queen who were foolish beyond
all telling, but nevertheless they were vastly fond of one another. It
is true that certain spiteful people were heard to say that this was
only one proof the more of their exceeding foolishness, but of course
you will understand that these were not their own courtiers, since,
after all, they _were_ a King and Queen, and up to this time all things
had prospered with them. For in those days the one thing to be thought
of in governing a kingdom was to keep well with all the Fairies and
Enchanters, and on no account to stint them of the cakes, the ells of
ribbon, and similar trifles which were their due, and, above all things,
when there was a christening, to remember to invite every single one,
good, bad, or indifferent, to the ceremony. Now, the foolish Queen had
one little son who was just going to be christened, and for several
months she had been hard at work preparing an enormous list of the names
of those who were to be invited, but she quite forgot that it would take
nearly as long to read it over as it had taken to write it out. So, when
the moment of the christening arrived the King--to whom the task had
been entrusted--had barely reached the end of the second page and his
tongue was tripping with fatigue