known her husband to his
father, and punished the wicked white witch. So she made her husband
build a palace exactly like the one in which the seven Queens had
lived, and in which the white witch now dwelt in splendor. Then, when
all was prepared, she bade her husband give a grand feast to the King.
Now the King had heard much of the mysterious son of seven queens, and
his marvelous wealth, so he gladly accepted the invitation; but what
was his astonishment when on entering the palace he found it was a
facsimile of his own in every particular! And when his host, richly
attired, led him straight to the private hall, where on royal thrones
sat the seven Queens, dressed as he had last seen them, he was
speechless with surprise, until the Princess, coming forward, threw
herself at his feet and told him the whole story. Then the King awoke
from his enchantment, and his anger rose against the wicked white hind
who had bewitched him so long, until he could not contain himself. So
she was put to death, and her grave plowed over, and after that the
seven Queens returned to their own splendid palace, and everybody
lived happily.

* * * * *

WHO KILLED THE OTTER'S BABIES

ADAPTED BY WALTER SKEAT

The Otter said to the Mouse-deer, "Friend Mouse-deer, will you be so
good as to take charge of the children till I come back? I am going
down to the river to catch fish, and when I come back, I'll share the
catch with you." The Mouse-deer replied, "Very well! go along, and
I'll look after the children." So the Otter went down to the river to
catch fish.

(Here the story of What the Otter Did stops and the story of What
Happened when the Woodpecker Sounded the War-gong commences.) The
Mouse-deer was Chief Dancer of the War-dance, and as he danced he
trod on the Otter's babies and crushed them flat. Presently the Otter
returned home, bringing a string of fish with him. Oh arriving he
saw that his children had been killed, and exclaimed, "How comes it,
Friend Mouse-deer, that my babies have died?" The Mouse-deer replied:
"The Woodpecker came and sounded the war-gong, and I, being Chief
War-Dancer, danced; and, forgetting about your children, I trod upon
them and crushed them flat."

On hearing this the Otter went and made complaint unto King Solomon,
prostrating himself and saying: "Your Majesty's most humble slave
craves pardon for presuming to address your Majesty, but Friend
Mouse-deer has