a green willow. She grew daily fonder of the shade, the cool air, and the rain shower. During rain, and in the evening, she would become more gay. When the sky became overcast with dark clouds, and a thick shower of hail came pouring down, Snyegurka was as pleased as any other girl would have been at the sight of a pearl necklace. When the hail melted and disappeared beneath the warm rays of the sun, Snyegurka cried bitterly, as if she herself would melt into tears; as an affectionate sister might weep over a lost brother. The spring now ended, the summer came, and the Feast of St. John was close at hand. All the girls from

Several of them

the village went into the wood to play. came to the hut, and asked Mistress Mary to allow Snyegurka to go with them. Mary was at first afraid to let Snyegurka go, and the girl herself did not care about it, but they could not very well refuse the invitation. Then Mary thought it would perhaps amuse Snyegurka. She therefore kissed her tenderly, saying,

"Go, my dear child; go and enjoy yourself. And you, my good girls, take care of my Snyegurka. You know she is as dear to me as my very sight."

66

"All right! we'll take care!" cried the girls; and they caught hold of Snyegurka by the arms, and ran away together to the forest.

There they made garlands and bouquets of flowers,

and sang songs, while Snyegurka took part in their play.

After sunset the girls piled up a small heap of dry grass and brushwood, lighted it, and, with garlands on their heads, stood in a line, one close upon the other. They put Snyegurka at the end, and said, "When you see us running, you run after us." Then they began to

sing, and to jump over the fire.

They turned

Suddenly they heard a painful cry. round quickly, but could see nothing. Greatly surprised, they looked at each other, and then noticed that Snyegurka was missing. "Oh, the mischievous puss!" cried the girls; "she has hidden herself."

They ran in every direction in search of her, but all in vain. They called her by her name, "Snyegurka!" but there was no answer.

66

Perhaps she has gone home," cried some of the girls. They all ran back to the village-Snyegurka was not there!

They searched for her the whole night, the following, and the third day; they examined the forest,—every tree, every bush; but all to no purpose, Snyegurka was gone!

Old Ivan and Mary were almost broken-hearted at the loss of their beloved Snyegurka. Every day Mary went to the forest to look for her lost child. Poor woman!

like a tender mother full of grief and yearning for her young one, she cried aloud,

"Ah, me! my Snyegurka! Ah, me! my darling dove! Where art thou?"

She often fancied she could hear her dear Snyegurka's painful cry when she disappeared. Alas! alas! Snyegurka was nowhere to be found.

Where had Snyegurka gone? Had some wild beast seized and dragged her into his lair ? or a bird of prey carried her across the dark blue sea to its nest? No ; neither bird nor beast had carried the girl away. When Snyegurka, following her companions, sprang over the fire, she melted away and changed in an instant into a beautiful white cloud, rose up, and disappeared in the sky for ever!

THE DEMON'S DANCE.

(FROM THE POLISH.)

WHEN the wind throws the dust up in the air, and whirls it round in a dry eddy, it shows the dance of an evil spirit. Whenever you see this, shut up at once all the doors and windows in your hut, or it will certainly do some mischief to your bones. If, however, you are courageous, and wish to obtain riches at the sacrifice of your soul, take a new knife that has been sprinkled with holy water, and throw it dexterously into the very middle of the whirlwind.

One day, a fearless young peasant, angry with the demon, who, in the shape of a hurricane, had blown off the roof of his barn, took up a new, consecrated knife, and stuck it in the ground in the very centre of the dusteddy. In a moment the demon appeared, bent double, as if suffering great pain, and trembling with fear. He asked the peasant what he wanted with him.

"Mend my barn," cried the man in a great fury. "Fill

с

up my potato hole with gold; then bring to my hut a keg of brandy and three sides of bacon."

"I will do it all," answered the demon; "but first take It hurts me cruelly." "first do what I tell you."

the knife out of the ground. "No!" cried the peasant;

The obedient spirit did all that was demanded of him. Some time after this the young peasant fell sick. As he was about to die, his friends, who were gathered round him, saw the demon standing at the head of the bed waiting for his soul. They all lamented his miserable fate, and his godfather said,—

"If, instead of asking for money, he had shot the demon with a silver button, he would have lived to be an old man, and have saved his soul."