is as tall as two days, and as broad as half a day, and make a
shade for yourselves?" My father heard what I said and jumped
quickly on the mare, and the reapers worked with a will in the
shadow, while I snatched up a wooden pail to bring them some
water to drink. When I got to the well everything was frozen
hard, so in order to draw some water I had to take off my head
and break the ice with it. As I drew near them, carrying the
water, the reapers all cried out, "Why, what has become of your
head?" I put up my hand and discovered that I really had no head,
and that I must have left it in the well. I ran back to look for
it, but found that meanwhile a fox which was passing by had
pulled my head out of the water, and was tearing at my brains. I
stole cautiously up to him, and gave him such a kick that he
uttered a loud scream, and let fall a parchment on which was
written, "The cake is mine, and the beardless one goes
empty-handed." '

With these words the boy rose, took the cake, and went home,
while the beardless one remained behind to swallow his
disappointment.

[Volksmarchen der Serben.]



THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL BEGGARS

There once lived a merchant whose name was Mark, and whom people
called 'Mark the Rich.' He was a very hard-hearted man, for he
could not bear poor people, and if he caught sight of a beggar