The flowers smelled very sweet, sweeter

than jam.

There was also fruit as yellow as gold,

and there were cakes full of raisins.

Large sugar plums hung from the

trees.

It was all very beautiful.

"What a fine story this will be!" said Hialmar to himself.

Just then there came a cry from the table where Hialmar's copy-book lay.

The Dustman went to see what was the matter.

The copy-book was crying! "Booh-hoo!" The Dustman opened the copy-book. On

each page the letters stood in rows.

On the first page were Aa, Bb, Cc, and

on the last page were Xx, Yy, Zz.

These were the copy.

Beneath then were the letters Hialmar

had made.

Hialmar's letters should have been like

the copy, but they were not. They lay just as if they had tumbled on the line.

How the Dustman laughed at those letters, they were so badly made! At that Hialmar's letters cried, too, and said, "You must not laugh at us. Hialmar made us this way."

"Poor things!" said the Dustman. "I see

66

stand up straight like the copy."

"Oh," said they, "we should like to, but

we can not.

We are not well."

"You must take some medicine," said the

Dustman.

any more."

"Then you will not cry

"Oh, no," said they, "we do not need any medicine." And up they stood! “Ha, ha!” laughed the Dustman, "Now I

can drill you. One, two! One, two!" After that Hialmar's letters were as good as the copy.

**

X, Y, tumble-down Z,

The cat's out the cupboard,

- And she can see.