attendants when his mother entered with the two bottles of wine and
some delicious cakes.

"You are both so good and happy." said the wicked Princess Terute
with a smile, "that I have brought you some sweet wine as a reward--
and here are some nice cakes for my good children."

And she filled two cups from the different bottles.

Hase-Hime, never dreaming of the dreadful part her step-mother was
acting, took one of the cups of wine and gave to her little step
brother the other that had been poured out for him.

The wicked woman had carefully marked the poisoned bottle, but on
coming into the room she had grown nervous, and pouring out the wine
hurriedly had unconsciously given the poisoned cup to her own child.
All this time she was anxiously watching the little Princess, but to
her amazement no change whatever took place in the young girl's
face. Suddenly the little boy screamed and threw himself on the
floor, doubled up with pain. His mother flew to him, taking the
precaution to upset the two tiny jars of wine which she had brought
into the room, and lifted him up. The attendants rushed for the
doctor, but nothing could save the child--he died within the hour in
his mother's arms. Doctors did not know much in those ancient times,
and it was thought that the wine had disagreed with the boy, causing
convulsions of which he died.

Thus was the wicked woman punished in losing her own child when she
had tried to do away with her step-daughter; but instead of blaming
herself she began to hate Hase-Hime more than ever in the bitterness