use said to herself: "Now I will do as much for my friend as she did
for me; we will have lentils for dinner, and I will jump into the
pot while they are boiling," and she let the action follow the word,
without reflecting that a simple sausage can do some things which are
out of the reach of even the wisest mouse.

When the sausage came home, she found the house lonely and silent. She
called again and again, "My little mouse! Mouse of my heart!" but no
one answered. Then she went to look at the lentils boiling on the
stove, and, alas! found within the pot her good little friend, who had
perished at the post of duty.

Poor mousie, with the best intentions in the world, had stayed too
long at her cookery, and when she desired to climb out of the pot, had
no longer the strength to do so.

And the poor sausage could never be consoled! That is why to-day, when
you put one in the pan or on the gridiron, you will hear her weep and
sigh, "M-my p-poor m-mouse! Ah, m-my p-poor m-mouse!"

* * * * *

JOHNNY AND THE GOLDEN GOOSE

There was once a man who had three sons. Johnny, the youngest, was
always looked upon as the simpleton of the family, and had very little
consideration or kindness shown him.

It happened one day that the eldest son was going out into the wood to
cut fuel; and before he started, his mother gave him a slice of rich
plum-cake and a flask of wine, so that he might not suffer from hunger
or thirst.

Just as he reached the wood, he met a queer old man, dressed in gray,
who wished him "Good day," and begged for a piece of the young man's
cake and a drink of wine.

But the greedy youth replied: "If I were to give you cake and wine, I
should not have enough left for myself; so be off with you, and leave
me in peace."

Then he pushed the little man rudely on one side and went his way. He
soon came to a likely-looking tree, and began to hew it down, but he
made a false stroke, and instead of striking the tree he buried his
axe in his own arm, and was obliged to hurry home as fast as he could
to have the wound dressed.

And this was what came of offending the little gray man!

The following day the second son set out to the wood, and his mother
treated him just as she had done her eldest son--gave him a slice of
cake and a flask of wine, in case he should feel hungry. The little
gray man met him at the entrance to the wood, and begged for a share
of his food, but