woman."

So the little dog ran up to her and dropped his bread at her feet; she
picked it up and ate it with avidity. Soon she looked quite recovered,
and Cherry, delighted, was trotting back again to his kennel, when he
heard loud cries, and saw a young girl dragged by four men to the door
of the palace, which they were trying to compel her to enter. Oh, how
he wished himself a monster again, as when he slew the tiger!--for the
young girl was no other than his beloved Zelia. Alas! what could a poor
little dog do to defend her? But he ran forward and barked at the men,
and bit their heels, until at last they chased him away with heavy
blows. And then he lay down outside the palace door, determined to watch
and see what had become of Zelia.

Conscience pricked him now. "What!" thought he, "I am furious against
these wicked men, who are carrying her away; and did I not do the same
myself? Did I not cast her into prison, and intend to sell her as a
slave? Who knows how much more wickedness I might not have done to her
and others, if Heaven's justice had not stopped me in time?"

While he lay thinking and repenting, he heard a window open and saw
Zelia throw out of it a bit of dainty meat. Cherry, who felt hungry
enough by this time, was just about to eat it, when the woman to whom he
had given his crust snatched him up in her arms.

"Poor little beast!" cried she, patting him, "every bit of food in that
palace is poisoned: you shall not touch a morsel."

And at the same time the voice in the air repeated again, "Good actions
never go unrewarded;" and Cherry found himself changed into a beautiful