and trembling, scrambled out through the door and slits which the Giant had formerly made for his corns. By this time the Witch and the little old lady, as also Strong-arm, his eleven brothers, and his father, were come up to the spot. Strongarm and his eleven brothers shot their arrows at the Giant till at last he fell wounded, on which Strong-arm went up to him and cut off his head. Then the father and the little old woman and her many children built a new house, and lived happily ever afterwards.

THE CLEVER LITTLE TAILOR.

THE

HERE was once a Princess who caused it to be proclaimed, that whoever could guess her riddle should marry her, making no conditions as to the rank of the candidates. It chanced that three tailors had just arrived in the city, two of whom thought, as they had succeeded in stitching and such matters, they should not fail here, but that the prize was already theirs; the third, however, was a little useless Flibbertigibbet sort of fellow, who expected to succeed, only because he knew no reason why he should not. The three tailors announced themselves to the Princess, and required to hear her riddle, as they were the very people to guess it, their understandings being so fine and delicate that you might thread needles with them. "Well," said the Princess, "I have hair of two kinds on my head: of what colours is it?" Said the first, "It must be black and white, like the cloth they call pepper-and-salt." The second said, “If it is not black and white, it must be brown and red, like my father's dressing-gown." The little tailor then approached, and said, "You have a silver and a golden hair in your head, and these are the two colours." The Princess turned pale, and nearly fell from her seat, for he had guessed truly; but she said, "You have not yet won your prize. In my stable lies a bear, with whom you must pass the night: if I find you alive in the morning, you shall marry me."

When evening came, the tailor was introduced to the bear, which prepared to spring upon him. "Softly," said the lad; "I must quiet you at once, I see; so he very deliberately took some walnuts out of his pocket, broke them, and ate

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the kernels. The bear saw this, and thought he should like some also; so the little tailor gave him a handful of pebbles, which Bruin put into his mouth, but could make nothing of them, crunch as he would. "Friend," said he, "crack me a nut." "Now you see what an ignoramus you are," said the tailor. Taking a stone from the bear, he appeared to crack it easily; but he had slyly substituted a walnut, and put the pebble in his pocket. "I must try it again," said the bear. The tailor gave him another pebble, and the bear laboured with all his strength to break it, but of course was unable. The tailor next produced a violin, and played an air upon it, when Bruin immediately began to dance, and felt so much pleasure in it, that he said, "Is the fiddle hard to play?" "As easy as possible," was the reply. "I should like to be able to play: will you give me some lessons?" "With all my heart," was the reply; "but show me your nails: they are dreadfully long-I must first cut them a little." A vice being at hand, the bear placed his paws in it, the screw was turned, and Bruin was secured. "Now wait till I fetch the scissors," said the tailor, and with these words he laid down and went to sleep.

When the Princess arose in the morning, and went to the stable, there stood the tailor alive, and as nimble as a fish in water; and as she had publicly promised, she could not now say a word against the marriage, so they proceeded in the King's carriage to church. But the other tailors, who envied their comrade's good fortune, went to the stable and released the bear, which, in a rage, pursued the carriage. But the tailor was prompt: he placed himself on his head, and then stretching one leg out of the window, exclaimed, "Can you see the vice?-if you don't go away, I will fasten you again in it!" Upon which the bear ran away. So the tailor and the Princess were married, and lived together as happily as larks.

THE FOX AND THE CAT.

I

you.

T happened one day that a cat met Mr. Reynard in a wood, and as she thought he was talented, and had a good position in the world, she was inclined to be very polite, and said, "Good day, good Mr. Fox: how are you? how are you getting on? I hope these hard times do not affect " But the haughty fox looked at the cat from head to foot, and replied, "You piebald simpleton! you mouse-hunter! Do you know what you are doing, when you venture to question me? What do you understand? What can you pretend to do?” "I can only do one thing; I understand but one art," answered the cat, modestly. "And pray what is that?" inquired the fox. "When the dogs are after me, I can run up a tree and save myself." "Is that all?" returned the fox, contemptuously: "I am master of a thousand arts, and besides these, have a whole sack-full of cunning tricks. I pity you! Come with me, and I will show you how to deceive the dogs." At this moment a hunter with four dogs came by: the cat sprang nimbly up a tree, and concealed herself effectually among the leaves and branches, from whence she called down to her companion, "Open your sack, friend fox! open your sack!" but the dogs had already seized him and held him fast. "Oh!" said the cat, "with all your hundred. arts, I see you are caught: had you only known how to climb a tree, you would not have lost your life."