was watching.

He flew fearlessly to the spot as soon as the giants had left it.

He lifted the stone in his great talons, and was soon flying away with
the cap to the fairy glen.

The giants saw him, and knew at once what he was doing.

They began a fierce attack upon him.

The air was filled with flying arrows and sharp rocks. Drops of blood
fell on the mountain side, and many feathers fluttered down, but the
brave eagle was soon out of their reach.

He did not stop until the cap was safe in the fairy queen's lap.

There was great rejoicing among the fairies that day.

They had a feast in the eagle's honor, and healed his wounds with fairy
magic.

On the mountain side, wherever the blood and feathers fell, there
sprang up trees with featherlike leaves and blood-red berries.

All the giants, fairies, plants and animals knew why they grew.

The unselfish love in the eagle's blood could not die, but lived again
in the beautiful trees.

But people who did not know how they came there, called them mountain
ash trees.

[Illustration]

PHILEMON AND BAUCIS.

On a high hill in Greece, long ago, lived Philemon and Baucis. They had
always been poor but never unhappy.

At the time of this story the people in the valley below them were very
busy.

Zeus, their king, had sent word that he was about to visit them.

Hermes, his messenger, was to come with him.

The people were getting ready great feasts, and making everything
beautiful for their coming. For miles out of the city, men were watching
for the golden chariot and white horses of the king.

One night, just at dark, two beggars came into the valley.

They stopped at every house and asked for food and a place to sleep.

But the people were too busy or too tired to attend to their needs.

Footsore and weary, at last they climbed the hill to the hut of Philemon
and Baucis.

These good people had eaten scarcely anything for several days that they
might have food to offer the king.

When they saw the strangers, Philemon said, "Surely these men need food
more than the king."

Baucis spread her one white table cloth upon the table.

She brought out bacon and herbs, wild honey and milk.

She set these before the strangers with all the good dishes that she
had.

Then a wonderful thing happened.

The dishes which the strangers touched turned to gold.

The milk in the pitcher became rich nectar.

Philemon and Baucis dropped upon their k