ck. "I don't care anything about the
duke. This is to warn you! You know Katcha? She's alive and she's
looking for you!"

The instant the devil heard the name of Katcha he turned and fled.

All the people cheered the shepherd, while the shepherd himself
laughed in his sleeve to think that he had taken in the devil so
easily.

As for the duke, he was so grateful to the shepherd that he made him
his chief counselor and loved him as a brother. And well he might, for
the shepherd was a sensible man and always gave him sound advice.

THE BETROTHAL GIFTS

THE STORY OF KUBIK AND THE FROG

[Illustration: {A frog}]

THE BETROTHAL GIFTS

A farmer who had three sons was much troubled in his mind as to how he
should leave his property. "My farm is too small to divide," he kept
thinking to himself. "If I divide it into three equal parts and give
each of my sons one part, they will all be poor cottagers, and yet, if
I give it all to one son, I shall be unjust to the other two. My
grandfather always said that it is a father's duty to treat all his
children alike and I'm sure I don't want to depart from his
teachings."

At last he called his sons together and said: "I have hit upon a plan
whereby fate shall decide which of you shall be my heir. You must all
go out into the world and find brides, and he who brings back as a
betrothal gift the most beautiful ring shall have the farm."

The sons agreed to this plan and the next day they all set out in
different directions in quest of brides.

Now the youngest son, whose name was Kubik, was not considered as
bright as his brothers, for he was kind to beggars and he never drove
a hard bargain. His brothers often laughed at him and his father
pitied him, for he thought that Kubik was too gentle to make his way
in the world.

Kubik's path took him into a deep forest. He walked on and on until
suddenly a little frog hopped up in front of him and said:

"Where are you going, Kubik?"

Now Kubik had never in all his life heard of a frog that could talk.
At first he was frightened but even so he was too polite not to answer
a civil question. So he told the frog about his father and the farm
and the quest for betrothal gifts upon which he and his brothers were
bound.

The frog listened and when he was finished she said: "Come with me,
Kubik, and my daughter, Kachenka, will give you a more beautiful ring
than any your father or brothers have ever seen."

Kubik hesitate