riding by, and, seeing Elsa, sprang from his horse, and took her
by the hand, sawing, 'Ah! it was a happy chance that brought me
here this morning. Every night, for half a year, have I dreamed,
dear lady, that I should one day find you in this wood. And
although I have passed through it hundreds of times in vain, I
have never given up hope. To-day I was going in search of a
large eagle that I had shot, and instead of the eagle I have
found--you.' Then he took Elsa on his horse, and rode with her
to the town, where the old king received her graciously.

A few days later the wedding took place, and as Elsa was
arranging the veil upon her hair fifty carts arrived laden with
beautiful things which the lady of the Tontlawald had sent to
Elsa. And after the king's death Elsa became queen, and when she
was old she told this story. But that was the last that was ever
heard of the Tontlawald.

[From Ehstnische Marchen.]



THE FINEST LIAR IN THE WORLD

At the edge of a wood there lived an old man who had only one
son, and one day he called the boy to him and said he wanted some
corn ground, but the youth must be sure never to enter any mill
where the miller was beardless.

The boy took the corn and set out, and before he had gone very
far he saw a large mill in front of him, with a beardless man