III. WHY THE SEA IS SALT. (29)
A FAIRY TALE.

Mary Howitt was born in 1804, at Coleford, England. She wrote many
charming stories for children in prose and verse, and also translated many
from Swedish, Danish, and German authors. This story is arranged from one
in a collection named "Peter Drake's Dream, and Other Stories." She died
in 1888.

1. There were, in very ancient times, two brothers, one of whom was rich,
and the other poor. Christmas was approaching, but the poor man had
nothing in the house for a Christmas dinner; so he went to his brother and
asked him for a trifling gift.

2. The rich man was ill-natured, and when he heard his brother's request
he looked very surly. But as Christmas is a time when even the worst
people give gifts, he took a fine ham down from the chimney, where it was
hanging to smoke, threw it at his brother, and bade him begone and never
to let him see his face again.

3. The poor man thanked his brother for the ham, put it under his arm, and
went his way. He had to pass through a great forest on his way home. When
he had reached the thickest part of it, he saw an old man, with a long,
white beard, hewing timber. "Good evening," said he to him.

4. "Good evening," returned the old man, raising himself up from his work,
and looking at him. "That is a fine ham you are carrying." On this, the
poor man told him all about it.