awned, it was
no cat that lay upon the bed, but a beautiful princess.

'My mother and I were both enchanted by a spiteful fairy,' said she,
'and we could not free ourselves till we had done some kindly deed
that had never been wrought before. My mother died without ever
finding a chance of doing anything new, but I took advantage of the
evil act of the giant to make you as whole as ever.'

Then they were all more delighted than before, and the princess lived
in the court until she, too, married, and went away to govern one of
her own.

[Adapted from _Neuislaendischen Volksmaerchen_.]

_THE LION AND THE CAT_

Far away on the other side of the world there lived, long ago, a lion
and his younger brother, the wild cat, who were so fond of each other
that they shared the same hut. The lion was much the bigger and
stronger of the two--indeed, he was much bigger and stronger than any
of the beasts that dwelt in the forest; and, besides, he could jump
farther and run faster than all the rest. If strength and swiftness
could gain him a dinner he was sure never to be without one, but when
it came to cunning, both the grizzly bear and the serpent could get
the better of him, and he was forced to call in the help of the wild
cat.

Now the young wild cat had a lovely golden ball, so beautiful that you
could hardly look at it except through a piece of smoked glass, and he
kept it hidden in the thick fur muff that went round his neck. A very
large old animal, since dead, had given it to him when he was hardly
more than a baby, and had told him never to part with it, for as long
as he kept it no harm could ever come near him.

In general the wild cat did not need to use his ball, for the lion was
fond of hunting, and could kill all the food that they needed; but now
and then his life would have been in danger had it not been for the
golden ball.

* * * * *

One day the two brothers started to hunt at daybreak, but as the cat
could not run nearly as fast as the lion, he had quite a long start.
At least he _thought_ it was a long one, but in a very few bounds and
springs the lion reached his side.

'There is a bear sitting on that tree,' he whispered softly. 'He is
only waiting for us to pass, to drop down on my back.'

'Ah, you are so big that he does not see I am behind you,' answered
the wild cat. And, touching the ball, he just said: 'Bear, die!' And
the bear tumbled dead out of t