nging cabbage and kale, and all manner of good food.

And the old man was glad, and the old woman was glad. And the old man
sold the sheep and oxen, and got so rich that he needed nothing more.

As for the straw-stuffed ox, it stood in the sun till it fell to
pieces.

_The Necklace of Truth_

JEAN MACE

Once there was a little girl named Coralie. She had but one fault. She
told falsehoods. Her parents tried to cure her in many ways, but in
vain. Finally they decided to take her to the enchanter Merlin.

The enchanter Merlin lived in a glass palace. He loved truth. He knew
liars by their odour a league off. When Coralie came toward the
castle, Merlin was forced to burn vinegar to keep himself from being
ill.

Coralie's mother began to explain the reason for their coming. But
Merlin stopped her.

"I know all about your daughter, my good lady," he said. "She is one
of the greatest liars in the world. She often makes me ill."

Merlin's face looked so stern that Coralie hid her face under her
mother's cloak. Her father stood before her to keep her from harm.

"Do not fear," said Merlin. "I am not going to hurt your little girl.
I only wish to make her a present."

He opened a drawer and took from it a magnificent amethyst necklace.
It was fastened with a shining clasp of diamonds.

Merlin put the necklace on Coralie's neck and said, "Go in peace, my
friends. Your little daughter carries with her a sure guardian of the
truth."

Then he looked sternly at Coralie and said, "In a year I shall come
for my necklace. Do not dare to take it off for a single moment. If
you do, harm will come to you!"

"Oh, I shall always love to wear it! It is so beautiful!" cried
Coralie. And this is the way she came by the wonderful Necklace of
Truth.

The day after Coralie returned home she was sent to school. As she had
long been absent, the little girls crowded round her. There was a cry
of admiration at sight of the necklace.

"Where did it come from? Where did you get it?" they asked.

"I was ill for a long time," replied Coralie. "When I got well, mamma
and papa gave me the necklace."

A loud cry rose from all. The diamonds of the clasp had grown dim.
They now looked like coarse glass.

"Yes, indeed, I have been ill! What are you making such a fuss
about?"

At this second falsehood the amethysts, in turn, changed to ugly
yellow stones. A new cry arose. Coralie was frightened at the strange
behaviour of the