is very wise and can surely tell us just what to do."

"Oh, yes," said Blue Eyes, and away they started at once.

It was a warm day and a long walk to the top of the hill.

The little girls stopped many times to rest under the oak trees which
shaded their pathway.

They could find no flowers, but they made a basket of oak leaves and
filled it with berries for the wise woman.

They fed the fish in the brook and talked to the squirrels and the
birds.

They walked on and on in the rocky path.

After a while the sun went down. The birds stopped singing.

The squirrels went to bed.

The trees fell asleep.

Even the wind was resting.

Oh, how still and cool it was on the hillside!

The moon and stars came out.

The frogs and toads awoke.

The night music began.

The beetles and fireflies flew away to a party.

But the tired little children climbed on towards the hilltop.

At last they reached it.

There at the gate was the strange, old woman, looking even more stern
than usual.

The little girls were frightened. They clung close together while brave
Golden Hair said, "we know you are wise and we came to see if you would
tell us how to make everyone happy."

"Please let us stay together," said timid Blue Eyes.

As she opened the gate for the children, the wise woman was seen to
smile in the moonlight. The two little girls were never seen again at
the foot of the hill. The next morning all over the hillside people saw
beautiful, waving golden-rod and purple asters growing.

It has been said that these two bright flowers, which grow side by side,
could tell the secret, if they would, of what became of the two little
girls on that moonlight summer night.

[Illustration]

THE WISE KING AND THE BEE.

Long ago there lived in the East the greatest king in the world.

It was believed that no one could ask him a question which he could not
answer.

Wise men came from far and near, but they were never able to puzzle King
Solomon.

He knew all the trees and plants.

He understood the beasts, fowls and creeping things almost as well as he
did people.

The fame of his knowledge spread into all lands. In the south, the great
Queen of Sheba heard of the wonderful wisdom of Solomon and said, "I
shall test his power for myself."

She picked some clover blossoms from the field and bade a great artist
make for her, in wax, flowers, buds and leaves exactly like them.

She was much pleased when t