you.
Spare me then the life of the poor, silly man who unwittingly killed
your beast. Give his stupid life to me in exchange for this dear,
amiable wolf," and she smiled pleadingly.

The King sat staring first at the great white beast, wonderfully pleased
with the look of him, then at the beautiful maiden whose blue eyes
looked so wistfully at him. And he was wonderfully pleased with the look
of them, too. Then he bade her tell him the whole story, how she had
come by the creature, and when, and where. Now when she had finished he
first whistled in surprise, then he laughed. That was a good sign,--he
was wonderfully pleased with Saint Bridget's story, also. It was so
strange a thing for the King to laugh in the morning that the
Chamberlain nearly fainted from surprise; and Bridget felt sure that she
had won her prayer. Never had the King been seen in such a good humor.
For he was a vain man, and it pleased him mightily to think of owning
all for himself this huge beast, whose like was not in all the land, and
whose story was so marvelous.

And when Bridget looked at him so beseechingly, he could not refuse
those sweet blue eyes the request which they made, for fear of seeing
them fill with tears. So, as Bridget begged, he pardoned the countryman,
and gave his life to Bridget, ordering his soldiers to set him free from
prison. Then when she had thanked the King very sweetly, she bade the
wolf lie down beside the red-velvet throne, and thenceforth be faithful
and kind to his new master. And with one last pat upon his shaggy head,
she left the wolf and hurried out to take away the silly countryman in
her chariot, before the King should have time to change his mind.

The man was very happy and grateful. But she gave him a stern lecture on
the way home, advising him not to be so hasty and so wasty next time.

"Sirrah Stupid," she said as she set him down by his cottage gate,
"better not kill at all than take the lives of poor tame creatures. I
have saved your life this once, but next time you will have to suffer.
Remember, it is better that two wicked wolves escape than that one kind
beast be killed. We cannot afford to lose our friendly beasts, Master
Stupid. We can better afford to lose a blundering fellow like you." And
she drove away to her cell under the oak, leaving the silly man to think
over what she had said, and to feel much ashamed.

But the King's new wolf lived happily ever after in the palace park; and
Bri