that at last he begged her off, but
he had hard work to set her free.

So the next time the young queen was to have a child, twice as strong
a watch was set as the first time, but the same thing happened over
again, only this time her _Foster-mother_ said:

"Now you shall be as grieved as I was when you let the moon out."

And the queen begged and prayed, and wept; for when her _Foster-mother_
was there, she could speak--but it was all no good.

And now the old queen said she must be burnt, but the Prince found
means to beg her off. But when the third child was to be born, a watch
was set three times as strong as the first, but just the same thing
happened. Her _Foster-mother_ came while the watch slept, took the
babe, and cut its little finger, and smeared the queen's mouth with
the blood, telling her now she should be as grieved as she had been
when the _Lassie_ let out the sun.

And now the Prince could not save her any longer. She must and should
be burnt. But just as they were leading her to the stake, all at once
they saw her _Foster-mother_, who came with all three children--two
she led by the hand, and the third she had on her arm; and so she went
up to the young queen and said:

[Illustration: "Here are your children; now you shall have them again. I
am the Virgin Mary."]

"Here are your children; now you shall have them again. I am the
Virgin Mary, and so grieved as you have been, so grieved was I when
you let out sun, and moon, and star. Now you have been punished for
what you did, and henceforth you shall have your speech."

How glad the Queen and Prince now were, all may easily think, but no
one can tell. After that they were always happy; and from that day
even the Prince's mother was very fond of the young queen.

THE HUSBAND WHO WAS TO MIND THE HOUSE

Once on a time there was a man, so surly and cross, he never thought
his _Wife_ did anything right in the house. So, one evening, in
haymaking time, he came home, scolding and swearing, and showing his
teeth and making a dust.

"Dear love, don't be so angry; there's a good man," said his goody;
"to-morrow let's change our work. I'll go out with the mowers and mow,
and you shall mind the house at home."

Yes! the _Husband_ thought that would do very well. He was quite
willing, he said.

So, early next morning, his goody took a scythe over her neck, and
went out into the hayfield with the mowers, and began to mow; but the
man was to