' said
Evangeline.

'Is that a story?' exclaimed Mary. 'Do tell it to me, please!' So
Evangeline sat down to tell her the story.

IV

THE STORY OF THE DISCONTENTED BOY AND THE MAGICIAN

A long, long time ago, in a country a great way off, there lived a man
who was the King's Grand Vizier. Now the Vizier had a son, who was ten
years old, and he caused his father a great deal of unhappiness. For he
was a very greedy boy, and he grumbled at everything he had.

As long as anything belonged to some one else he liked it very much, and
he cried and made a loud noise until it was given to him. But as soon as
it became his own Hassan began to find fault with it. It was just the
same with little things or big things--as soon as they were put into his
own hands he ceased to care for them.

If he sat at dinner and he had tasted every dish but one, he would ask
for that, and say he liked it better than anything else; but when it was
put on his plate, he would push it away. 'This is horrid!' he would cry.
'I don't want it. Take it away.' And he would throw it on to the floor,
plate and all.

Now, as you may suppose, this conduct vexed the Vizier, and presently
things came to such a pass that he could think of nothing but his
tiresome son. One day he was summoned to the King's presence.

'The affairs of the kingdom are being neglected,' said the King; 'the
people are not paying their taxes, yet nobody's head is cut off. This
kind of thing cannot be allowed to go on. If I do not see an improvement
very soon I shall cast you into prison.'

The Vizier had a great dread of the prison, for he had sent many persons
there and he knew exactly what it was like. So he fell on his knees
before the King and confessed that Hassan was the real cause of the
neglect.

'Very well,' answered the King, 'I shall not be so unjust as to punish
you for your son's offence, but if he does not become satisfied within a
month from to-day, I shall condemn him to death. But as you have served
me faithfully so many years, I shall allow you the privilege of choosing
whether his head shall be cut off with an axe or a sword.'

The Vizier thanked the King for granting him this privilege and returned
to his own palace; he knew it was useless to speak to Hassan because he
had spoken to him so often before, so he sent for a Magician who lived a
few miles away. When the Magician heard of the Vizier's distress, he at
once promised to help him.

'I b