ish to cut _her_ head off, and he
did not want people to know the truth because it would make him look
foolish. In fact, the more he considered the matter, the more he felt
that he would be wise to put a good face on it, and to let people
suppose that he had really brought about the marriage of his own free
will.

So, when the young couple arrived, the king received them with all
state, and gave his son-in-law a province to govern. Nur Mahomed soon
proved himself as able and honourable a governor as he was a brave
soldier; and, when the old king died, he became king in his place, and
reigned long and happily.

Nur Mahomed's old mother lived for a long time in her 'son's' palace,
and died in peace. The princess, his wife, although she had got her
husband by a trick, found that she could not trick _him_, and so she
never tried, but busied herself in teaching her children and scolding
her maids. As for the old hermit, no trace of him was ever discovered;
but the cave is there, and the leaves lie thick in front of it unto
this day.

[Told the writer by an Indian.]

_STORY OF WALI DAD THE SIMPLE-HEARTED_

Once upon a time there lived a poor old man whose name was Wali Dad
Gunjay, or Wali Dad the Bald. He had no relations, but lived all by
himself in a little mud hut some distance from any town, and made his
living by cutting grass in the jungle, and selling it as fodder for
horses. He only earned by this five halfpence a day; but he was a
simple old man, and needed so little out of it, that he saved up one
halfpenny daily, and spent the rest upon such food and clothing as he
required.

In this way he lived for many years until, one night, he thought that
he would count the money he had hidden away in the great earthen pot
under the floor of his hut. So he set to work, and with much trouble
he pulled the bag out on to the floor, and sat gazing in astonishment
at the heap of coins which tumbled out of it. What should he do with
them all? he wondered. But he never thought of spending the money on
himself, because he was content to pass the rest of his days as he had
been doing for ever so long, and he really had no desire for any
greater comfort or luxury.

At last he threw all the money into an old sack, which he pushed under
his bed, and then, rolled in his ragged old blanket, he went off to
sleep.

Early next morning he staggered off with his sack of money to the shop
of a jeweller, whom he knew in the to