d's joy
And mine: and, as I found thee couched
Amidst white-blooming asters, I named thee
White Aster in memorial of the day."

The little maiden adds that her adopted mother made her promise never
to marry any one save her so-called brother, and declares she is bound
in honor to respect this maternal wish. The governor, anxious to
secure this beautiful bride, meantime sends the agent hurrying back
with a chest full of gifts, the acceptance of which will make the
bargain binding. So the clever agent proceeds to exhibit tokens, which
so dazzle the old peasant that he greedily accepts them all, while
admiring neighbors gape at them in wonder.

Poor little White Aster, perceiving it will be impossible to resist
the pressure brought to bear upon her, steals out of the peasant's
house at midnight, and, making her way across damp fields to the
river, climbs up on the high bridge, whence she intends to fling
herself into the rushing waters. She pauses, however, to utter a final
prayer, and, closing her eyes, is about to spring when a hand grasps
her and a glad voice exclaims she is safe! Turning around, White
Aster's wondering eyes rest upon the recluse, who ever since he
escaped from the brigand's clutches has vainly been seeking her
everywhere. He declares they shall never part again and tenderly
leads her home, where she is overjoyed to find her father, who still
mourns her absence.

Thankful for the return of his child, the father relates how, having
fallen into a ravine,--where he found water and berries in plenty,--he
vainly tried to scale the rocks, to escape from its depths and return
home. All his efforts having proved vain, he was almost ready to give
up in despair, when a band of monkeys appeared at the top of the cliff
and by grimaces and sounds showed him how to climb out by means of the
hanging vines. Trusting to these weak supports, the father scaled the
rocks, but on arriving at the summit was surprised to discover no
trace of the monkeys who had taught him how to escape. He remembered,
however, that while hunting one day he had aimed at a mother monkey
and her babe, but had not injured them because the poor mother had
made such distressing sounds of despair. He adds it was probably in
reward for this act of mercy that the monkeys saved his life.

"I spared her life;
And she, in turn, seeing my sorry plight,
Cried to me from the rocks, and showed the way
To flee from certain dea