earest one, how you have changed!" he murmured and tears
flowed down his cheeks.

"Yes, my dear, I have changed, I know I have," the gipsy answered. "It
was grief for you that has broken me."

She tried to fall on his neck but the king turned quickly away and
left her.

From that time forth he had no peace but day and night he mourned the
lost beauty of his wife and nothing consoled him.

Grieving in this way and thinking always the same sad thoughts, he was
walking one day in the garden when suddenly a beautiful white dove
flew down from a high tree and alighted on his hand. She looked up at
him with eyes as mournful as his own.

"Ah, my poor dove," the king said, "why are you so sad? Has your mate
also changed?"

As he spoke he stroked the dove gently on the back and on the head.
On the head he felt a little lump. He blew aside the feathers and
discovered the head of a pin. He pulled out the pin and instantly the
sad dove changed into his own beautiful wife.

She told him what had happened to her, how the gipsy had deceived her
and stuck the pin into her head. The king had the gipsy and the old
witch caught at once and burnt at the stake.

From that time on nothing happened to mar the king's happiness,
neither the plots of his enemies nor the spite of evil people. He
lived in love and peace with his beautiful wife and he ruled his
kingdom wisely. In fact he's ruling it still if he hasn't died.

PRINCE BAYAYA

THE STORY OF A MAGIC HORSE

[Illustration: {A two-headed dragon}]

PRINCE BAYAYA

While the king of a distant country was off at the wars, his wife, the
queen, gave birth to twin sons. There was great rejoicing throughout
the court and immediately messengers were despatched to the king to
carry him news of the happy event.

Both boys were well and vigorous and shot up like little trees. The
one who was about a moment the older was the hardier of the two. Even
as a toddling child he was forever playing in the courtyard and
struggling to climb on the back of a horse that had been given him
because it was just his own age.

His brother, on the other hand, liked better to play indoors on the
soft carpets. He was always tagging after his mother and never went
outdoors except when he followed the queen into the garden. For this
reason the younger prince became the mother's favorite.

The boys were seven years old before the king returned from the wars.
He looked at his sons with pride and