hey kept his wand, so
that the wicked dwarf could never again enter their kingdom. So the
happy couple returned to their castle, and lived there in peace and
plenty for ever after. But the other two musicians waited in vain for
the return of their companion; and when he never came they said: 'Ah,
he's gone to play the flute,' till the saying passed into a proverb, and
was always said of anyone who set out to perform a task from which he
never returned.

Grimm.

_THE THREE DOGS_

There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a son and a
daughter. When he was on his death-bed he turned to them and said, 'I
have nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small house; divide them
between you, as you like, but don't quarrel over them whatever you do.'

When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she would
like best, the sheep or the little house; and when she had chosen the
house he said, 'Then I'll take the sheep and go out to seek my fortune
in the wide world. I don't see why I shouldn't be as lucky as many
another who has set out on the same search, and it wasn't for nothing
that I was born on a Sunday.'

And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front of
him, and for a long time it seemed as if fortune didn't mean to favour
him at all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a cross road, when
a man suddenly appeared before him with three black dogs, each one
bigger than the other.

'Hullo, my fine fellow,' said the man, 'I see you have three fat sheep.
I'll tell you what; if you'll give them to me, I'll give you my three
dogs.'

In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, 'What would I do
with your dogs? My sheep at least feed themselves, but I should have to
find food for the dogs.'

'My dogs are not like other dogs,' said the stranger; 'they will feed
you instead of you them, and will make your fortune. The smallest one is
called "Salt," and will bring you food whenever you wish; the second is
called "Pepper," and will tear anyone to pieces who offers to hurt you;
and the great big strong one is called "Mustard," and is so powerful
that it will break iron or steel with its teeth.'

The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the stranger his
sheep. In order to test the truth of his statement about the dogs, he
said at once, 'Salt, I am hungry,' and before the words were out of his
mouth the dog had disappeared, and retu