of his visit to the Allwise; upon which the old man said, "Ah, my son, the Allwise has not spoken in vain: when you take a maiden to wife, you know; that means that she will believe you understand everything better than she does, and will follow and obey you. If you take a widow, she knows; that is to say, she has been already once married, and thinks she is more experienced than you; and will not only not follow, but will try to command you. If you take a divorced woman-beware of my horse! And then he smote you across the feet with his stick. By that you will understand: take care not scold you as she scolded her first that she does husband. THE PLAGUE. (FROM THE POLISH.) WHEN the Plague desolates the country, whole villages stand empty; the cocks become hoarse and cannot crow; even the dogs, our household guardians, no longer bark. They can, however, scent and see the Plague afar off. They growl, and furiously try to attack it; for the Plague delights to tease and worry them. A peasant once was asleep on the top of a hay-rick; near him leant a ladder. The moon shone brightly, and the night was clear. Suddenly, borne on the wind a great noise was heard, in which the growling and howling of dogs rose distinctly above all other sounds. The peasant got up, and saw with terror a tall woman, clothed in white, with dishevelled hair, running straight towards him, pursued by dogs. In front of her stood a high fence. The tall woman sprang clear over it at a bound, and ran up the ladder. There, secure from the furious dogs, she put out her leg, and teasing them, cried, "Na goga, noga! Na goga, noga!" (There is my leg, seize it.) The peasant at once recognised in her the terrible Plague itself. He softly approached the ladder, and pushed it off the rick with all his might. The Plague fell to the ground and the dogs seized her. She threatened the peasant with vengeance, and then suddenly disappeared. The peasant did not die of the plague, but he was never well afterwards; and he would often involuntarily lift up his leg and repeat the cry, "Na goga noga! Na goga noga!" These were the only words he could utter. GOLDEN HAIR. (FROM THE BOHEMIAN.) ONCE there lived a king who was so clever that he could understand all that the animals said to one another. Listen how he came to know this. One day an old woman brought him a snake in a basket, and said if he would have it cooked, and would eat it, he would understand what the animals and living creatures, whether on land, in the air, or in the water, said. The king was pleased at the idea of knowing more than any other man, paid the old woman well for her present, and ordered one of his servants to cook the "fish" immediately for dinner. you "But mind," added the king, "you do not taste it; if do you will answer to me for it with your head." Irik, the servant, thought it very strange that the king should forbid him so strongly to taste the dish. H "As long as I have lived," he said to himself, I never saw such a fish; it looks more like a snake. Besides, how is a cook to prepare food without tasting it ?" When the snake was ready he ate a piece of it, just to try its flavour. Suddenly he heard something buzzing `round his ears :— "A piece for me! a piece for me!" Irik looked round, but there was no one near, except a few flies darting about the kitchen. hoarse voice outside in the street : 66 Then he heard a Where are you going to? Where are you going to?” And then various other voices answered, "To the miller's barley. To the miller's barley." And looking out of the window he saw a gander with a flock of geese. "O-ho!" said he to himself, "that's the fish,' is it?" He understood the whole thing at once. He quickly ate another piece, and then, as if nothing had happened, took the dish to the king. After dinner the king ordered Irik to saddle two horses, and accompany him on a ride. The king went on before, Irik following him. As they rode through a green meadow Irik's horse gave a bound, and said, "Ho, ho, brother, I feel so light! I should like to jump over the hills!" |